


Louder Than Sirens - AU

by littlemsmessy



Category: Nancy Drew - Carolyn Keene
Genre: Alternate Universe, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Hand Jobs, Missionary Position, Oral Sex, Romance, Sex Toys, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Vibrator, Woman on Top
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-06-24
Updated: 2012-11-11
Packaged: 2017-11-08 09:35:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 75,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/441769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlemsmessy/pseuds/littlemsmessy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An AU prompt, courtesy of ndnickerson. What if Nancy were a financially struggling undergrad with her sights on law school? Her goal is to get into Northwestern Law, but the best way to do that is with great grades and a top score on the LSAT. So, she signs up for an LSAT prep class where the instructor is one Ned Nickerson. Talk about an unexpected complication…</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine - my name is littlemsmessy, not Carolyn Keene. If these were my characters, I'd be rich right now, and each of you would get a pony.
> 
> This is a story written as a ‘thank you’ for the super-awesome ndnickerson, who sent me all kinds of lovely Nancy Drew books. (True confession time: she sent these books ages ago, and I’m just now posting the story. Bad littlemsmessy.) 
> 
> Title is from the Florence and the Machine song, The Drumming Song

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a story written as a ‘thank you’ for the super-awesome ndnickerson, who sent me all kinds of lovely Nancy Drew books. (True confession time: she sent these books ages ago, and I’m just now posting the story. Bad littlemsmessy.) 
> 
> Title is from the Florence and the Machine song, _The Drumming Song_

Nancy Drew hurried into the nearly-full classroom, her battered old canvas tote bag filled with textbooks and notebooks tucked under one arm. She wasn’t that familiar with the University of Chicago’s campus, and she was nervous that she was going to be late for the first session of her LSAT prep course. Relaxing when she saw that the instructor hadn’t yet arrived, she smiled when a tall, lanky dark-haired girl in the third row waved her over to the empty chair next to her. 

Nancy set her bag down on the floor and shrugged out of her denim jacket, hanging it on the back of her chair. She fished out a pen and a fresh notebook from the bag and was about to write the date on the first page when she heard the door to the classroom open again and a murmur arise from the other students. Looking up, she discovered the most gorgeous guy she had ever seen standing behind the desk in front of the room. Very tall with dark brown hair, velvety brown eyes, and the beautifully toned body of an athlete, he could have been mistaken for a model in his dark jeans, navy button-down shirt, and cream-colored pullover sweater. He put down his books and papers on the surface of the desk and wrote his name in simple block letters on the dry-erase board in the front of the room. _EDMUND NICKERSON_ , it read. 

He turned around, and that was when his gaze met Nancy’s. They stared at each other for a moment, and Nancy was astonished to find that she wasn’t able to tear her eyes away from the intensity of his dark brown eyes. The attraction she felt between them was so strong that she almost couldn’t catch her breath for a moment, and if she had to stand, her legs would probably collapse underneath her. 

After a full thirty seconds, he seemed to come back to his senses and shook his head as if to clear it. “Good evening, everyone,” he addressed the class in a deep, rich baritone. “My name is Edmund Nickerson, and I’m your instructor for the LSAT preparation class sponsored by the University of Chicago. Yes, I’m aware that my name is old-fashioned, so most people call me Ned.” Nancy dimly heard the others in the class chuckle. “Before we get started, let me just quickly run down the list of people who registered for this course so I can tell who’s here and who’s missing.” 

He read the list of names alphabetically, and Nancy felt a shiver when he got to hers. “Here,” she said, and she was shocked to find that her voice was husky when she answered him. The instructor gave her a small grin before going on to the next name on his list. 

Two hours later, the class ended and the students all began gathering their things to leave. Nancy had tried her best to pay attention to what was going on, but every so often, she found her gaze straying to Ned Nickerson. When he had caught her once, she had blushed slightly before averting her eyes. _Down, girl_ , she told herself sternly. _The last thing I need is to flake on this class and waste my money. Plus, I’m sure someone that pretty is a serious player._

“Holy shit,” she heard the dark-haired girl next to her utter in an awed whisper. “Did you _see_ the teacher? When I saw on the online course description that his name was Edmund, I thought for sure he’d be ninety years old with bad posture and even worse dentures. My best friend’s gonna be _so_ pissed that she signed up for the Tuesday and Thursday class instead of this one.” 

Nancy chuckled. “Hell, my best friend’s gonna pissed that she didn’t sign up for this class, and she’s not even interested in law school.” 

The girl laughed. “They should just put his picture on the brochure for this course, and _bam_! Enrollment would spike a thousand percent. It’d be a gold mine for the school.” 

“Maybe you and I should make that happen,” Nancy joked back. “After all, I could definitely use the cash to pay for law school.” 

“Same here,” her neighbor sighed. “Hey, my name’s George Fayne, by the way.” 

“Nancy Drew. I’m sorry, forgive me, but did you say ‘George’ or ‘Georgia’?” 

The girl laughed. “George. My parents were positive I was going to be a boy. When I came out a girl, they were too lazy to think of another name, so it stuck. I’m used to it by now. Anyway, I think I’ve seen you on campus at UIC. You’re also in the Criminology, Law and Justice program, right?” 

“Yeah, that’s why you look so familiar. I think we were in the same _Principals of Criminal Law_ class.” Nancy said, studying George’s face. 

“That’s right. My friend Oliver was in there, too, and he had the biggest crush on you. He called you the red-haired goddess.” Nancy blushed as George laughed. “Poor thing tried so hard to get your attention.” 

“Sorry,” Nancy apologized. “It’s just that I don’t have a lot of time for a social life. On top of my full course load, I also have two part-time jobs, sometimes three. I’m paying my way through school and trying to save for Northwestern Law.” 

“Wow,” George answered, clearly impressed. “School’s tough enough for me and that’s all that’s on my plate. So, if you’re here, I’m guessing that you also couldn’t get into the prep class at UIC?” 

Nancy nodded. “Yeah, the classes on our campus didn’t work with my schedule, so I registered here instead. Suddenly, her cell phone rang. Glancing at the display, she looked back up at George apologetically. “Sorry, it’s my ride – I have to take this.” 

“Go ahead,” George responded, picking up her tote bag and waving goodbye. “See you back here on Wednesday night, if not before.” 

_See you_ , Nancy mouthed. She pushed a button on the screen to answer the phone. “Hey, Dad! What’s up? Are you outside?” 

“Hey, Nan,” she heard her father’s tired voice reply. “Honey, I’m so sorry to have to do this to you, but I can’t make it there to pick you up from class. I got pulled into this new case, and I think I’m going to be here a while longer doing some research.” 

“No problem,” Nancy answered, trying to make her tone light. “I can just take the bus or the El. Really, no big deal.” 

“Nan, you know I hate it when you take public transportation alone at night. You know what, I’ll come by to pick you up and then come back here to the office.” 

“Dad, no,” Nancy protested. “Don’t be silly. I’ll be super careful, and I promise to have my cell phone and mace out. It’s no big deal, I swear.” 

Her father sighed. “Just be sure to stay alert at all times, please. I know what happens to young women alone on the streets who cut through alleys or walk in dark parking lots – as we speak, I have a stack of cases on my desk where I have to defend the men who are accused of assaulting them, or worse.” 

After again reassuring her father that she’d be perfectly fine getting home on her own, Nancy sighed as she disconnected the call. She looked up and realized that the rest of the class had already left; the only person remaining in the room was the instructor, who was looking at her curiously as he perched on a corner of the desk at the front of the room. 

“You okay?” he asked. 

“Yeah – my ride fell through, that’s all,” she shrugged. “What are you still doing here, anyway?” 

“I was packing up my stuff when I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation with your dad,” Ned replied, looking slightly embarrassed. 

“Geez, sorry – didn’t mean to be so loud,” Nancy said apologetically. 

“No, you were fine. I heard that you were stranded and thought I could offer you a ride home.” 

“I’m not stranded; I can take the bus or the train.” 

“At this time of night?” he answered skeptically. 

“Yes, at this time of night.” Nancy’s tone had the hint of a challenge. “I can take care of myself, you know. My dad’s just overprotective because I’m an only child and he’s a public defender, so he sees and hears all kinds of shit. Sorry, stuff,” she amended when she caught Ned’s grin. 

“Hey, what a coincidence – I’m an only child, too. So that must mean your dad’s extra protective of you. We can’t have him worrying about you, “Ned said easily. “Why don’t you let me drive you home?” 

“Um, no offense, but you’re a stranger. If I’m trying to avoid being harmed by someone I don’t know, then isn’t my accepting a ride from you potentially defeating the purpose?” Instinctively, Nancy knew that she was in no danger of harm from him. The truth of it was that she was afraid of being alone with him for an entirely different reason. 

He grinned again. “You already have the logic part of the law down pat, so you’ll probably do really well on the LSAT. Look, I was a boy scout, an honor student, and member of Omega Chi Epsilon frat at Emerson. I do volunteer work with at-risk kids, and I’m an all-around nice guy. Ask anyone,” he offered. 

“A frat boy? Is that supposed to convince me to go with you, or to make me run away screaming?” she asked archly. 

“Why did you just use the phrase ‘frat boy’ like some people would say ‘serial killer’?” Ned sounded more amused than offended. 

“Well, in my experience, they’re equally dangerous,” she said dryly. 

“Wow, prejudiced, anyone? What’s it gonna be like when you have to try a case and your client’s a former member of a fraternity?” 

Nancy shrugged. “Easy. I’ll tell the judge and jury to fry him.” 

“Nice,” he snickered. “So, Drew, do you want a ride or not? Last chance.” He slung his leather messenger bag over his head so that the strap crossed over his broad chest. 

Nancy tried to ignore how her heart beat faster at the thought of being with him in the close quarters of a car. “Sure, thanks.” She tried to make her tone light and casual. Slipping on her denim jacket, she picked up her tote bag and joined him at the door to the classroom. 

Ned turned off the lights in the room before closing and locking the door behind them. “It’s kind of a far walk,” he said apologetically.   
  


“That’s fine, I’m wearing my sneakers.” She pointed down to her purple Chuck Taylors. 

“Cute,” he smirked. “So, how come your boyfriend couldn’t come to get you?” 

“Um, mainly because I don’t have one?” They slowly walked down the stairs, their footsteps echoing in the deserted hallway. 

“Really?” She looked up to see if he was making fun of her, but his expression only reflected curiosity. 

“Yes, really.” 

Ned pushed open the front door of the building and held it for her before walking out. “That’s surprising to me.” 

“Is it?” 

“Yeah, you seem like the kind of girl who’d definitely have a boyfriend.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Nancy tried to sound tough, but didn’t think she was doing a very good job of it. Tough girls didn’t have their emotions all in a jumble when a handsome, sexy guy was asking them questions about their love lives. 

“Defensive much, Drew? I just meant that you’ve very smart…and really beautiful.” He stopped walking and turned to face her. 

“Thanks,” she mumbled, looking down at her sneakers. 

“So, since you don’t have a boyfriend, can I interest you in stopping to get something to eat or drink before I take you home?” he ventured. 

Nancy looked up in surprise. “Are you asking me out?” she blurted out, wanting to kick herself when she heard the words escape her lips. 

Ned chuckled. “Well, I must not be doing a very good job of it if you’re asking me to clarify. But, yeah.” She shook her head and quickly began walking away from him. 

“Damn, Drew, you’re terrible for a guy’s ego, you know?” He increased his pace to try and catch up to her. 

“You know, Nickerson, I’m not interested in being your little plaything,” she told him, using his last name to address him as he had done to her. “Tell me, do you pick up a girl during every one of your LSAT prep courses? Is that why you teach these classes?” Her voice was cool as she kept walking briskly. 

“Drew, you are the biggest pain in the ass I’ve ever met,” he sighed, lightly gripping her shoulders so he could turn her to face him. 

“Those are quite some powers of seduction you have, there. The girls all must be falling over themselves to go to bed with you with sweet talk like that,” she snapped. 

“You know what, why don’t we just start over here, okay? I’m Ned Nickerson, and I’m teaching your LSAT prep course.” He stuck out his hand, and Nancy reluctantly shook it, trying to ignore the tingle that ran up her spine at the feel of his hand in hers. “I was a member of a fraternity in college, and I loved it – I’m not gonna apologize for it, either. I also played basketball at said college and graduated at the top of my class. I mentor middle school-aged kids a couple of weekends a month, and I love that, too. I’m in my second year at Northwestern Law, which was my first choice for law school. Oh, and by the way? I have taught this class three times before, and not once have I asked out any of my students, ever. I’ve never seen any of them outside of the classroom for any reason.” 

Nancy waited for a moment before speaking. “Are you done now, Nickerson, or do I have to wait a little longer to apologize for being such a bitch to you?” 

“Nope, I’m done. Apologize away,” he told her, spreading his arms. 

“Look, I’m sorry. Really. I was nasty and judgmental and way out of line. You’re trying to do a nice thing for me, and instead of being grateful, I’m giving you a hard time.”   
  


“Apology accepted,” he smiled, dipping his head slightly. “Now, how about that meal?” 

“I’m flattered, really,” she sighed. “But I don’t think it’s a good idea.” 

“Why not?” he asked, genuinely puzzled. “It’s not like I’m grading you or anything. There’s no way I can give you the answers, so there’s no ethical violation.” 

“I know, but…It just wouldn’t look right,” she finished, hating herself for turning him down. “And, anyway, I don’t have a lot of free time – whatever extra time I had is being occupied by this class.” 

“So, since you’ve already blocked out the time to take the class, why don’t you just take another hour or two afterwards and use it for fun?” Ned suggested. 

“I wish I could, but I need some time to study.” 

“Well, see, I could help you with that. We could call it extra prep – totally free, too.” 

By this time, they were standing in front of his car in the parking garage. “You’re very persistent, Nickerson.” 

“Some would say that it’s one of my best qualities,” he replied, clicking his key fob to unlock the car before holding the passenger-side door open for her. 

Nancy slid in, enjoying the rich smell of the leather seats. When he joined her in the car and they both fumbled for their seat belts, her breast accidentally brushed against his arm. She jerked away, feeling every nerve in her body go on heightened alert. 

“You okay?” he asked gruffly. 

“Yeah, fine,” she managed, trying not to gasp. 

“You’ll need to direct me where to go,” he told her, pushing the button to activate his GPS. Nancy provided him with her address and they were silent during the ride to her apartment; the only sound in the car was the voice of the GPS. 

When they pulled up in front of her building, Nancy put her hand on the door handle. “Well, thanks for the ride,” she said brightly, starting to push the door open. 

“Whoa, not so fast, Drew. At least let me walk you to your door,” he replied mildly. 

“Nah, that’s okay, you don’t have to. Besides, a nice car like this will be a target for thieves, believe me. In case you haven’t noticed, this neighborhood isn’t exactly the Gold Coast.” 

Ned gave her a mock glare before turning off the car, getting out, and walking around to the passenger side to open her door. “I’m sure it’ll be fine. It has an alarm.”   
  


She snorted. “Yeah, like that’ll help. You just be sure to tell the cops that when you call them later to file the report for the insurance agency.” 

“I’ll take my chances,” he told her firmly, clicking the alarm activation button on his key fob twice for good measure. “Now, lead the way.” 

She tried to put on an expression of reluctance, but secretly she was thrilled at the idea of having him walk her upstairs, and at the opportunity to spend more time with him. She unlocked the front door of the building and led him to the bank of elevators; when the car arrived at the lobby level, she pushed the button for the tenth floor. 

After the elevator stopped at her floor, she led him to the front door of her apartment, fumbling through her bag for her keys. Suddenly, she heard the door across the hall open.   
  


“Nancy, sweetheart, is that you?” the woman across the hall asked, peeking her head around her door. 

“Hannah, you should just use the peephole instead of opening your door,” Nancy sighed. “That’s what it’s there for – it’s safer.” 

Hannah opened the door fully, standing in her doorway clad only in a dark pink terry cloth robe. “Speaking of safe, what are you doing getting home so late on a Monday? And, who is this young man?” shed asked, noticing Ned for the first time. 

“I started my LSAT prep course tonight, remember?” Nancy reminded her. “Oh, and this is Ned Nickerson. He’s…the instructor for the class,” she finished lamely. “He gave me a ride home because Dad’s working even later than usual.” 

Hannah raised her eyebrows. “Well, it’s nice to meet you,” she told him as he walked over and shook her proffered hand. “I’m Hannah Gruen. Nancy and I aren’t related by blood, but she and her father are my family, all the same. Tell me, Mr. Nickerson, do you escort all of your students to their doors, or is this just a special service for our Nancy?” 

“Hannah!” Nancy hissed, blushing bright red as Ned laughed. 

“Nope, I only do this for beautiful redheads, Mrs. Gruen. Since there haven’t been any in my classes before, this is the first time.” 

“You have quite the way with words, Mr. Nickerson,” Hannah told him, a gleam of amusement in her eye as she saw Nancy staring at him. 

“Nancy said something to that effect earlier tonight, ma’am. Oh, and please call me Ned.” 

“Well, it seems we’re both right. Do the two of you want a snack? I just made a butter cake earlier today, and there’s no way I can eat all of it myself.” 

Nancy could see Ned hesitating as he watched her face. When he saw that she was less than receptive to Hannah’s offer, he shook his head. “That’s really nice of you to offer, Mrs. Gruen, but I have to be going now. Plus, I think that Nancy has a lot of studying to do, and I don’t want to keep her away from it any longer. Maybe another time?” he suggested, looking directly at Nancy when he said it. 

Nancy had to hand it to him - he definitely wasn’t kidding when he had said he was persistent. Ignoring the bait, she gave Hannah an apologetic smile. “Save some for me for tomorrow?” she asked. 

“I will,” Hannah nodded. “Good night, honey. Oh, and good night, Ned – it was nice to meet you. I hope to see you around here again soon.” 

“Thanks,” Ned grinned. “I hope to be around here again soon.” Hannah gave him a wink before entering her apartment. 

“You are impossible,” Nancy sighed, the minute Hannah had closed the door behind her. “You weren’t even here two minutes, and you charmed Hannah into offering you baked goods and inviting you back.” 

“What can I say; I have a gift for impressing people,” he shrugged, giving her a smirk.   
“Well, everyone except you, of course.” 

“That’s right,” she told him. “Now, you’ve done your good deed like the former boy scout you were, so you don’t have to hang around here any longer. I’m sure that you have stuff to do like I do,” she said pointedly. 

“That’s okay, I was just leaving, anyway,” Ned told her cheerfully. “So, I’ll see you in class on Wednesday.” 

“Yeah, see you then.” 

“I’ll be looking forward to it,” he said, and his tone was serious as he looked directly into her eyes. “Good night, Nancy.” 

Nancy could feel the tingle down her spine at the sound of her name on his lips, but tried to ignore it. “Good night, Nickerson.” 

After he was gone, Nancy leaned against the door to her apartment and heaved a huge sigh. She found him so good-looking and charming that it scared her. Suddenly, Hannah’s door opened again. 

“Well, that was quite a handsome man, Nancy, “Hannah smiled. 

Nancy tried to act like she hadn’t noticed. “He’s my teacher, Hannah.” 

“It’s a test prep class,” Hannah pointed out. “And it sure looks like he’d like to teach you a few things that have nothing to do with the law.” 

“Hannah!” Nancy gasped, as Hannah winked at her. “It’s _nothing_ \- he’s just a flirt. I’m sure he’s just playing around, trying to amuse himself until the next girl catches his eye. He just did me a favor by bringing me home.” 

“Oh, really? So that’s why he couldn’t keep his eyes off of you the whole time?” 

“You think so?” Nancy asked, secretly pleased at Hannah’s words, although she tried not to show it. 

“Nan, he barely noticed _me_ at all – he was too busy staring at your pretty face and that body of yours.” Nancy blushed. “He didn’t just do it to be nice - he’s definitely interested in you, trust me. Tell me, did he ask you for a date?” 

“He did,” Nancy replied nonchalantly. “But I turned him down.” 

“Honey,” Hannah said reproachfully. “Why did you do that? He’s handsome and kind – men like that don’t come along every day, you know.” 

“I know, but with school and work and this class…I just need to focus, Hannah, and if I get involved with someone, I won’t be able to do that.” 

“But you also need to enjoy yourself and unwind,” Hannah pointed out kindly. “You don’t want to waste your youth – you deserve to go out once in a while. When’s the last time you went on a date or went to a party?” 

“Too long ago?” she sighed. “I hear what you’re saying, Hannah, but this guy…” 

“Is gorgeous and is very, very attracted to you,” Hannah finished the sentence. “Are you scared of that? Because it’s okay for you to let go and just enjoy – sexually, I mean. I know your father still thinks of you as his little girl, but you’re a grown woman.” 

Nancy could hardly believe her ears. “Oh my God,” she groaned, feeling her face turn bright red. “Please, stop,” she croaked, holding up her palm. 

“Okay, fine, don’t listen to me,” Hannah replied, her lips twisted up in a knowing grin. “But the next time that man asks you out, and I’m sure he will, you had better say yes.” 


	2. Chapter 2

Nancy was nervous when she walked into the LSAT classroom on Wednesday night, and it had nothing to do with exam preparations. She didn’t know if Ned would acknowledge her in a special way, embarrassing her in front of the class, or if he’d act like nothing happened, embarrassing her for thinking that his attention was anything serious. Honestly, she didn’t know which one she’d prefer. 

She was a little early, and was slightly relieved when Ned wasn’t there yet. George waved her over, pointing to the empty chair next to her. “Saved it for you,” George said, taking her bookbag off of the seat. 

Nancy smiled at her gratefully. “Thanks. I’m just glad I was on time again.” 

“Yeah, me too, especially since I don’t want to miss a minute of Professor Hottie. I don’t know which is better- when he stands in front of us so we can see that gorgeous face, or when he turns to write on the blackboard so we can see his gorgeous ass.” 

“No joke,” the African-American girl behind them commented. “I have a boyfriend, but I can still enjoy the pretty when I see it. This class is the highlight of my day.” She had introduced herself as Lorraine during their last class. 

Kelly, the girl on the other side of George, piped up. “I would do the filthiest things to him, I swear to God.” 

The girls all cracked up, but Nancy froze when Ned walked in the room at that moment. From the quick smirk he gave her, she could swear that he knew they were talking about him, and not about his curriculum, either. She blushed quickly and looked down at her notebook, pretending to be fascinated by the blank page in front of her. She hadn’t missed how handsome he looked, though – even better than on Monday night, which she hadn’t thought possible. 

“Ooh, someone’s caught the eye of our teacher,” George teased in her ear. 

“Nah,” Nancy said, trying to sound casual. “We were probably just making too much noise.” 

Whatever George was going to answer was cut off by Ned as he started the class. It took all of Nancy’s powers of concentration to pay attention to the lesson rather than just stare at him; she had a feeling that the other girls in the class had the same challenge. 

When the class ended, Nancy grabbed her books and tried to slip out before Ned could notice she was gone. She figured that the crowd of girls around his desk trying to flirt with him would be enough of a distraction so that he wouldn’t notice her. However, he was more perceptive than she’d anticipated. “Ms. Drew?” he called out as she was halfway to the door. “Can I see you for a moment, please?” 

George elbowed her. “Told you,” she said triumphantly. “You go get it, girl.” 

Before Nancy could protest, George was gone. Nancy walked over to Ned’s desk, secretly thrilled that he had singled her out, and that he seemed to be indifferent to the giggling girls crowding around him. They glared at her as she approached. “Yes, Mr. Nickerson?” 

He looked around at the other students, seeming to notice them for the first time. “Um, did anyone have any questions related to what we talked about in today’s class? If not, then you’re all dismissed. Don’t think that you have to hang around on my account,” he joked. 

The girls all laughed as if he had made the funniest joke ever but took the hint, throwing final sullen stares at Nancy before dispersing. When they were the only two left in the room, Ned spoke. “Hey, how’ve you been?” 

Nancy curled her lips into an amused smile without thinking about it. “Fine. And you?” 

“Fine, and glad that today’s Wednesday so I could see you again.” He smiled at her, and it was genuine. Hearing him say it made her feel warm all over but she didn’t reply. “So, did you need another ride home, or can I take you for coffee…?” 

“Nickerson,” she sighed. 

“Drew,” he answered, smirking. “Come on, make it easy on me here.” 

“Oh, I think things are often easy for you, Nickerson. And, I don’t need the ride – my dad’s waiting for me.” He looked disappointed, and Nancy was, too, although she’d never admit it. 

“Okay, so that means that I won’t get to see you again until Monday. Too long,” he decided. “So how about dinner on Saturday night?” 

“Can’t,” she told him, glad that it was the truth. “I’m working.” 

“Where do you work?” 

“Tuesday, Friday and Saturday nights, I work at Mastro’s; Thursday nights and Saturday afternoons, I work at 312 Chicago, with an occasional Sunday brunch shift. Schedules vary depending on the week, but that’s pretty much the norm for me.” 

“And LSAT classes on Mondays and Wednesdays,” he marveled. 

“Yep.” 

“So, what, your only night off is Sunday?” 

“Yeah, and by then I’m too exhausted to do anything,” she commented, in case he tried to ask her. 

“Well, if your schedule changes for any reason…call or email me?” 

“Not that my schedule will change, but I don’t have your information,” she told him. 

“Well, we can change that. Here,” he said, ripping off a piece of paper from his notebook and scrawling down his number and email address. “I won’t ask you to give me yours, ‘cause I know you’ll turn me down flat.” 

Nancy was amused, though also a little chagrined that he didn’t try to push harder to get the information from her. She accepted the piece of paper and put it into her pocket. “Now, I really have to go,” she said as her phone buzzed. “My dad must be frantic.” 

  
“Okay, well, see you on Monday, I guess,” Ned sighed. “Can I at least walk you to your dad’s car?” 

“No, I’ll just run there because I don’t want to make him wait anymore. Thanks, anyway.” 

“Have a good weekend, Drew,” he told her, smiling. 

“You, too, Nickerson.” As she left the classroom, she couldn’t stop a wide grin from breaking out across her face. 

\-- 

When Nancy got home that night, she grabbed a yogurt from the refrigerator before heading into her bedroom to study. She decided to change into sweats to be more comfortable; as she removed her jeans, she saw a small piece of paper flutter to the ground. Her heart began to pound as she realized that it was Ned’s cell phone number and email address. 

_Throw it away,_ she told herself sternly. _You know that calling him or emailing him would be a huge mistake. No matter what he’s told you, he’s only interested in you because you aren’t falling all over him. If you start to show any interest in him, he’ll just back off. He’s all about the game, Nancy. Just ignore him and he’ll eventually leave you alone and move on to someone else._ The thought of him moving on to one of those girls who were flirting with him after class, though…As much as she hated to admit it, the idea of it made her stomach clench. 

_Maybe you should just send him a quick email to feel him out and see if he’s serious,_ she thought. _No, wait, maybe you should call instead to see if he really talks to you, or if he gives you one-word answers - that would mean that he’s with someone else tonight and you’d know he’s just playing with you…_

__

Irritated with herself for even entertaining the thought of contacting Ned, Nancy tossed the slip of paper into her wastebasket and pulled out her books to begin her reading for her classes the following day. She flopped onto her bed on her stomach and started to study. 

After ten minutes, Nancy pushed aside her textbook, frustrated that she couldn’t seem to concentrate. All she kept thinking of was how Ned had looked in his black turtleneck and jeans, and the smile he had given her when they had parted. When she began imagining herself pressing her mouth against his soft, slightly full lips, Nancy shook her head as if to clear it. 

She pushed herself up off of the bed and walked over to the wastebasket, fishing out the paper. “Just because you keep it doesn’t mean you’re going to do anything with it,” she said aloud. “You may need to get in touch with him about a test question or something, right?” Just to be sure she wouldn’t contact him on impulse, Nancy took the paper and placed it into her bottom desk drawer, the one that locked with a key. 

Sitting back down onto her bed in a cross-legged fashion, Nancy picked up her book again and tried to focus on what she was reading, doing her best not to think of running her hands through dark, wavy hair or wrapping her arms around broad, muscular shoulders. 


	3. Chapter 3

Mastro’s, the upscale steak and seafood restaurant where Nancy worked, was packed as usual on Saturday night. Nancy didn’t mind the hectic pace because it meant her shift would go by quickly, and she would also earn lots of money in tips from the more-than-slightly drunk men who were looking to impress their dates by showing off their considerable amount of disposable income. The guys were all in expensive designer suits or jeans that cost more than all of Nancy’s textbooks for her classes combined, and the women were showing themselves off in clothes from the finest stores on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. 

She had just finished the fourth hour of her shift and was looking forward to her upcoming break when she heard a familiar squeal. “I don’t believe it!” Nancy’s best friend Bess Marvin told her, hands on her hips as she pretended to glare at Nancy. “The hottest guy I’ve ever seen is at the bar and he’s asking for _you_!” 

“What?” Nancy asked, grabbing some extra napkins and utensils and sticking them on the tray she was loading. “What does he look like?” 

“Like the father of my future children,” Bess sighed dramatically. “And I would definitely be glad to do things with him that would get me pregnant. And many other things that wouldn’t.” 

Nancy laughed. “Haven’t you said that about at least one guy a night?” 

“Well, with this one, I’m serious. He’s tall, dark brown hair, gorgeous brown eyes, and although I can’t see anything through his blue button down, I’m betting that he’s _built_.” 

“Oh, yeah, that sounds like my LSAT prep course instructor,” Nancy said, trying to sound casual as her heart began fluttering in her chest. Since Wednesday night, she had been trying to ignore the piece of paper with his contact information that was locked in her desk, and she was proud of herself for not opening the drawer even once. 

“What? _That’s_ the guy teaching your class?” Bess asked in disbelief.” First of all, when I asked you about that class the other day, you didn’t think to mention that your teacher was a total stud? And second, is it too late for me to consider law school?” 

Nancy looked down at her tray, pretending to check the dishes against her order pad so that Bess couldn’t see her face. “It’s no big deal, Bess. There are a lot of students in the class. It’s probably just a coincidence that he came here tonight.” _But you know it isn’t_ , she told herself. 

“Oh, no?” Bess challenged. “So, I guess he knows where all of his students are working on a Saturday night and stops by to see each of them?” 

“It’s no big deal,” Nancy repeated, carefully composing her expression. “We were talking the other night after class and I happened to mention that I work here. He probably came by because he thinks I can hook him up with free drinks.” 

“Uh, that man did not have drinks on his mind, believe me. When Jody told me some guy was asking for you, I of course had to go over and check him out - for your sake, of course.” 

“Of course,” Nancy replied dryly. 

“When I saw what he looked like, I automatically undid the top few buttons of my shirt, so he could check out the girls as I leaned over the bar,” Bess confided, pointing to her breasts, which were now straining out of her shirt. 

“And?” Nancy asked, involuntarily tensing up. 

“Nothing! He just said he was here to see you and then tried to pump me for information about you. And when I say pump, I don’t mean in that good way, Nan.” 

Nancy chuckled, relaxing. “And what did you tell him?”   
  


“Oh, that you’re a very hard worker and serious about school.” Bess remembered that she had tables waiting and hurriedly began placing dishes on her tray. “And that you don’t date a lot.” 

“Bess!” Nancy squealed exasperatedly. 

“Sorry, but the poor boy had to know,” Bess shrugged. “Didn’t matter, though. He just laughed and said that you had already told him all of that, and that he’s a persistent guy. Damn, maybe I should try playing hard-to-get.” 

When Nancy just looked at her, eyebrows raised, Bess sighed good-naturedly. “Yeah, yeah, I know – who am I kidding?” They both giggled at that. “Now, deliver that to your table,” she pointed at the tray, “and get over to the bar the second your break starts. You do not want to keep that delicious man waiting any longer than he has to.” 

Nancy picked up her tray and walked out to the dining room, absently smiling at her customers as she set down their food in front of them without really paying attention. She continued her tasks by rote for the next ten minutes until it was time for her break. Quickly picking up a clean knife to check her reflection, Nancy smoothed her hair and took a deep breath before walking over to the bar. 

As she approached, she saw a brunette girl talking to Ned, her huge breasts spilling out of the top of her dress. Even from a distance, Nancy could tell by the brunette’s hand gestures and the way she was all but thrusting her chest into his face that she was flirting outrageously with him. 

“Hey, Nickerson,” Nancy said, forcing herself to give him a friendly smile. “What’s up?” 

“Drew!” he cried, rising from his bar stool. She didn’t think she was imagining the relief in his voice at seeing her. “Hey, sorry to bother you here at work, but I was in the neighborhood and I thought I’d stop in to say hi.” 

“No bother at all. I’m on break.” 

“Great! Oh, sorry, Lara,” he said, turning apologetically to the brunette, who at this point was wearing a pout. “This is who I was meeting here, so…” 

“It’s _Dara_ ,” the girl hissed icily. 

“Sorry,” he apologized, looking slightly embarrassed. Nancy had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from snickering as Dara stalked away. 

“Well, I see you were making friends at the bar,” Nancy teased him. 

Ned rolled his eyes. “Yeah, and thanks for saving me from her. “ 

“So, did you want another drink...?” 

“Well, you do still owe me one from when I asked you the other night,” he told her lightly. When Nancy didn’t respond, his lips quirked up in a grin. “Since it’s kinda noisy in here, why don’t we go outside for a few minutes and get some air? How long do you have for your break, anyway?” 

“Another fifteen minutes or so?” Nancy estimated, glancing quickly at her watch. 

“Perfect,” he told her, cupping his hand under her elbow to steer her towards the door. The touch of his hand on her arm made her feel like her skin was burning. 

When they made it through the crowd of people to exit the restaurant, Nancy led Ned to the front steps of a brownstone further down the block. He extended his hand with a flourish, signaling for her to sit first. He settled next to her and Nancy could definitely tell that he was checking out her long, shapely legs beneath the short skirt of her uniform. 

“So…Why doesn’t a guy like you have a date on a Saturday night?” she ventured. 

“Well, I tried to get a date, but she turned me down,” he teased. Nancy looked away, slightly embarrassed. 

“Come on, I’m sure that there are plenty of other girls who would’ve been glad to take my place. I would’ve thought for sure that you’d be charming some sorority girl out of her panties by this time of the evening, not sitting her on a stoop with me during my break.” She looked back at him, her gaze holding the hint of a challenge. 

Ned shook his head. “You are too much, you know that, Drew?” 

“What?” she asked, somewhat defensively. “You mean to tell me that you haven’t done your share of bouncing on top of sorority girls on Saturday nights?” 

“Yeah, maybe when I was twenty, twenty-one,” he shrugged unapologetically, putting his palms down flat on the concrete steps so that they rested next to his hips. The movement caused the sleeve of his shirt to brush against hers, and he didn’t pull away. “Let’s just say that I’ve become more discerning over the last few years. I’m not really into the quick screw anymore.” 

Nancy raised her eyebrows. “Oh, really?” 

“If that’s all I wanted, Drew, then I could’ve left with Lara or Dara or whatever the fuck her name was,” he pointed out. 

“Okay, so fine, then what do you want, Nickerson? Because I am definitely not anyone’s definition of an easy lay, believe me.” 

“Oh, I do believe you,” Ned told her solemnly, the hint of a twinkle in his eye. “Besides, trust me, when we finally do get to that point, it’ll be anything but quick between us.” 

“Well, aren’t you the presumptuous one?” she retorted archly, shivering at the implied meaning of his words. Just the suggestion, just the _thought_ of being naked underneath him while he moved inside of her was enough to make her more than a little turned on. “Already have us in bed together, do you?” 

“Well, not right away,” he grinned. “Good things come to those who wait, or so I’ve heard. First, I want to take you out. On a real date, not just a few minutes on the steps of someone’s house.” 

“I already told you that I’m very busy,” Nancy replied, starting to rise from the stairs. 

“Yeah - you told me, like, ten times, Drew, and so did your friend. But, she also told me that you need some time to de-stress, to relax and have fun. So, what do you say?”   
  


“That I’m going to kill Bess?” she pretended to fume. 

“Come on. You need to eat sometime. How about brunch tomorrow?” 

“Working.” She got up and brushed the dirt off of the back of her skirt, not missing how his eyes followed the movement of her hands on her rear. “Already checking out my ass, I see?” 

Ned flushed. “Well, to be fair, it is a damn fine ass. And, your legs appear to be a mile long – long legs are my weakness, you know. Who designed these uniforms, anyway? I want to shake their hand.” When Nancy shook her head, he gave her an easy grin. “You’re trying to change the subject, aren’t you? Okay, so if you’re working tomorrow afternoon, how about tomorrow night?” 

“Studying.” She began walking back towards the restaurant. 

Ned followed her. “And with all of that studying, you won’t take any time out to eat?” he called out. 

“Nope,” she replied, her strawberry blonde ponytail bouncing as she walked more briskly. 

“Okay, Drew, I seriously don’t get it. Is it all guys, or is it just me?” He stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. “Do you find me hideously unattractive? Do you think I’m slow and stupid? Because I could have sworn that there was some kind of a spark between us when I looked at you for the first time on Monday night. Was I just imagining it?” 

Nancy turned around to face him, trying hard to compose herself enough to answer him calmly. “Come on, Nickerson. Stop trying to pretend like you don’t know what you are.” 

“And what am I, Drew?” he challenged. “Tell me.” 

“I feel like I’m just feeding into your ego, but okay,” she said, forcing a note of exasperation into her tone. “You’re model-handsome - drop-dead gorgeous, really - with an amazing smile. Plus, you’re funny, obviously smart since you got into Northwestern Law, and you volunteer to spend your spare time with kids, for fuck’s sake. I mean, all you need is a Golden Retriever puppy under one arm, and women will start disrobing in front of you in the streets.” 

The grin on Ned’s face was wicked. “So, where do you think I can get a puppy at this time of night, and will that be the thing that finally gets you to give in?” 

Nancy laughed, in spite of herself. “I’m sorry I even gave you the idea.” 

“So, if you really find me as attractive as you say you do, then why do you keep turning me down? I’m genuinely curious.” 

She searched his face to see if he was just fishing for more compliments, but he seemed completely sincere. For a moment, she considered lying to him, but something in his face caused her to go with the truth instead. “Because I feel like you’re only into someone like me because I’m a challenge,” she admitted. “You can have any woman you want, but you’re probably tired of the easy thing. I put up obstacles, and _bam!_ \- you’re interested.” 

“You know what pisses me off about you, Drew?” He said it mildly, with a smile on his face. “How you just _assume_ that you know all about me without actually knowing anything about me.” 

“You forget that you gave me your bio the other night,” she said sweetly. 

“Do you always have to have the last word? Can’t you shut up and listen sometimes?” When Nancy stared at him, he snorted and shook his head. 

“What? You told me to shut up, and I am. Go ahead.” She made a sweeping gesture with her hand. 

“Okay, fine. You want to know why I’m interested in you? Maybe it’s because I find you incredibly beautiful, outrageously sexy, funny, sassy, and smart as a whip? And, you have legs that don’t stop. When I first saw you on Monday, my heart almost stopped in my chest. You looked up at me, and it was like there was some kind of weird gravitational pull between us. Yeah, a lot of girls try to get my attention, but very few of them actually keep it the way you have. This thing between us?” He gestured to her and back to himself. “I don’t know what it is, but it never happens to me. 

“So, I want to get to know more about you,” he continued. “After all, I gave you the rundown on me, but I know almost nothing about you, except that you’re an only child, you work a lot and you’re trying to get into law school. Oh, and that you live across from a very nice lady named Hannah who bakes butter cakes. It would help me to learn more: maybe then I can find out why it is you have such a huge-ass chip on your shoulder when it comes to me.” When he stopped, Nancy remained silent, just staring at him, her blue eyes wide. “Can it be? Can you really be speechless, Drew?”   


“Dinner, tomorrow night,” she replied, astonished as she heard the words coming out of her mouth. 

Ned looked thrown by her answer. He recovered quickly and gave her a wide grin. “What time should I pick you up?” 

Nancy shook her head. “No, no picking up. I’ll meet you.” 

“I’d argue with you, but I don’t want to push my luck. What time, and what do you like to eat?” 

“Seven-thirty, and I like anything: Italian, Chinese, Greek, Mexican…” 

“Well, if you like Mexican, how about **Topolobampo?”**

****

**“I’ve heard about it, but I’ve never been there – always wanted to try it.” She gave him a genuine smile and he returned it.**

****

**“Well, then, it’s a date.”**

****

“Shit, I’m late,” she gasped, looking at her watch. “My boss is going to kill me, and I really need this job!” 

“Sorry,” he apologized. “Seven-thirty, Topolobampo. Give me your number so I can call you in case I’m running late.” 

“No time!” she cried, rushing to the door of the restaurant. “If you don’t show, I’ll kick your ass on Monday night when I get to class.” 

Ned gripped her arm and wheeled her around to face him, still holding onto her. “Oh, I’ll be there, Drew. Believe me.” He drew her in closer, until their faces were close enough to touch. 

Nancy cleared her throat, trying to retain her composure. What she really wanted to do was grab him by his shirt front and fuse her mouth to his until he dragged her to the alleyway and slammed his body to hers against the side of the building. “I have to go…” 

The rest of her sentence was lost as he gently, slowly rubbed his lips back and forth against hers. He briefly pulled back before capturing her mouth again, this time in a fierce, searing kiss. Nancy was shocked to find the flesh between her legs throbbing and her nipples hardening as his tongue tangled with hers. 

Finally, they broke apart, both gasping for breath. “What were you saying?” he murmured, running his fingers across his red and swollen lips. 

“I have no idea,” she whispered back. 

“Go back to work,” he told her, guiding her to the door. “We’ll have more time to do that tomorrow night after dinner. And that time, I won’t want any interruptions.” 

“Okay,” she answered, trying to get her breathing back to normal. “See you tomorrow, Nickerson.” 

“See you tomorrow, Drew,” he grinned. 

Nancy walked back into the restaurant in a daze, barely noticing the crowds and noise. She made her way back to the kitchen, where Bess frantically grabbed her arm. “Oh, my God! When I saw you guys take off, I thought for sure that you headed somewhere for a quickie! And don’t worry about your shift – I covered for you.” Nancy smiled gratefully at her. “So, what happened? Tell me everything!” 

Nancy snapped out of her reverie. “No, we remained fully clothed – sorry to disappoint, Bess. We just went outside to talk a little bit. Then he asked me out. Again.” 

Bess squealed, causing the other servers to turn their heads. “Please tell me you said yes!” 

“I did,” Nancy nodded. “We’re going to dinner tomorrow night.” 

“Yipee!” Bess shrieked. “And what else happened?” 

“What do you mean?” Nancy asked, trying to sound innocent. 

“Come on, Nan. You’re flushed, your lips are as red as a cherry, and you look like you were blindsided. Don’t tell me that all you did with that sexy man was talk, because that would be a damn shame.” 

“We may have kissed,” Nancy admitted, the hint of a smile on her lips. 

“I’d ask you how it was, but I don’t have to – you practically have a post-orgasmic glow! Damn, if he can kiss that well, imagine what else he can do with his tongue. Girl, he must be one hell of a fu…” 

Bess was interrupted by one of the other waitresses, who came over to gossip. “Nancy, who the hell was that man candy waiting for you at the bar?” she demanded. “And does he have a brother?” 

Nancy and Bess laughed. “Geez, does everyone here know about him, Tracey?” Nancy asked the petite girl with long, wavy brown hair. 

“Uh, _yeah._ Are you seeing him? If not, I would tap the hell out of that.” 

“Get in line, Tracey,” Bess retorted. “And I would not even care that I was getting Nan’s sloppy seconds.” 

“Um, ladies, control yourselves, please?” Nancy told them. “Yes, I’m going out with him tomorrow, and no, he does not have a brother. Sorry to disappoint.” 

Their boss suddenly came around the corner, and the girls scattered. 

At the end of her shift, Nancy collapsed into a chair as Bess gathered her things to leave. 

“Now, are you sure you won’t come with me to Tim’s party for a few drinks?” Bess asked, reapplying her lipstick. 

“Yeah, I’m beat, but thanks anyway. All of these shifts here and at 312 Chicago are really catching up to me. You go on ahead.” Nancy waved her off. 

“Okay, but you’re gonna miss a great time. Oh, and by the way? “I am so coming over tomorrow to help you pick out something to wear. Don’t you tell me no!” she continued when Nancy raised her hand as if to protest. “You are _not_ wearing ratty Chuck Taylors or some shit like that for your date. Not on my watch, Nan.” 


	4. Chapter 4

At four the next afternoon, Nancy let herself into her apartment. Her feet were killing her after working multiple shifts two days in a row, and all she wanted to do was soak them in the tub. Sighing, she remembered that Bess was coming over in a half hour to play dress up. She trudged to her bedroom and dumped her stuff onto her bed before flopping down next to it.

As she was rubbing her feet and trying to get the energy to get to the bathroom, she heard the front door open again. “Nancy?” she heard her father’s voice call out. “Honey, are you home?”

“In here, Dad!” she shouted.

She heard her father walk down the hall and smiled as he poked his head in her doorway. “Hey, Nan,” he greeted her.

Nancy was always struck by how weary her father looked. His graying hair was mussed up, like he had run his hands through it repeatedly throughout the course of the day, and the knot of his tie was loose around his neck. “I can’t believe you had to go into work again today, Dad.”

“I could say the same to you, Nan,” he teased.

“Yeah, well, they offered me the shift to cover for someone else, and I didn’t want to say no to the chance to earn some extra cash. Tips were great, too.”

“Hey, did you want to maybe get something to eat at our favorite Greektown place later?” he offered. “My treat.”

Nancy shifted uncomfortably. “Actually, Dad…I kind of have a date.”

“A date?” Carson repeated neutrally.

“Yeah…It’s nothing serious, trust me. Just this guy I met in my LSAT prep class.” She purposely refrained from mentioning that he was her instructor. “We’re going to get dinner. If you want, I can cancel?” she offered, regretting the words as they came out of her mouth.

“No!” her father said firmly, shaking his head. “You’re a beautiful young woman – you deserve a night out. In fact, you should enjoy yourself more. You work way too hard.”

“Look who’s talking! You know, I seemed to notice a certain new neighbor in 4B who looks exactly like Diane Sawyer flirting with you the other day in the lobby, Dad. You may want to ask her for coffee or something. I mean, she was sending you all the signals…”

“Mind your own business, young lady,” he told her, trying not to crack a smile. “Stop worrying about your old Dad’s love life and pay attention to your own.” The front doorbell rang, and Nancy stood up. “Is he here already? It seems very early to be going out to dinner.”

“No, it’s just Bess. She invited herself over to help me pick out something to wear for tonight.”

Carson raised his eyebrows. “You’re worrying about what to wear for this guy? Are you sure it’s not serious?”

“Positive, Dad. It was all Bess’s idea.”

“So, what time is he coming to get you?” Carson asked.

“Um, he’s not,” Nancy said, avoiding her father’s gaze as she slipped out past him to answer the door. “I’m meeting him at the restaurant.”

“Nancy…” Her father used a warning tone.

“He offered, okay? I’m the one that told him not to pick me up.”

“And he didn’t push?”

“It took me a while to say yes, Dad, so he didn’t want to argue, I guess.” She opened the door and blinked when she saw Bess, several shopping bags in hand. “Bess, you know there’s only one of me, right?”

“You need to look perfect, Nan, and I need a lot of supplies to make it happen,” Bess told her firmly. “Hey, Mr. Drew!”

“Bess,” Carson acknowledged his daughter’s friend with a smile. “Did you know that this guy isn’t coming to pick her up?”   
  


“Yeah, I’m not surprised. She’s really giving him a hard time about everything, so she was probably the one who told him to meet her there.”

“Okay, that’s enough out of you,” Nancy told her friend, grabbing a shopping bag and hustling her friend towards her bedroom.

After a long soak in the tub, Nancy felt refreshed. She came back into her room to find that Bess had scattered half the contents of her closet across her bed. The top of the dresser was covered in various tubes, pots and bottles of cosmetics and hair products.

“How long was I gone?” Nancy asked, surveying the damage.

“Too long. Now get a move on, Nan. We have to pick out the perfect outfit and do your hair and makeup.”

Nancy groaned. “You are making way too much of this, I swear. It’s just dinner.”

“Oh, ‘ _just dinner_ ’, she says,” Bess said mimicking Nancy’s voice. “Yeah, just dinner with a major hottie. When’s the last time you went on a date, anyway?” Nancy was silent as she considered the question. “Yeah, thought so. If it takes you that long to remember, then it’s been too long. And please know that what I’m about to say is meant with love, Nan.”

“Oh, God,” Nancy groaned. “Bess…”

“Honey, you need a good fuck. I mean it. It would do wonders to help you relax. If you aren’t careful, you’ll have the first documented case of a hymen growing back.”

Nancy let out a crack of laughter, unable to control herself. “Bess, you are too much. It is really just a meal with an attractive guy. That’s it.”

Bess shook her head. “You are killing me here, Nan.”

“Can you stop obsessing about the state of my ladyparts and please just help me pick out something to wear?”

“Fine,” Bess grumbled. “You know I’m right, but whatever. Now…dress, or jeans and a fancy top? I can’t decide.”

Nancy groaned. “No dress.”

“Girl, you’ve got those killer legs, you’ve got to show them off! Come on, if I had a body like yours, I’d be wearing practically nothing every day.”

“Okay, first of all, it’s Chicago and I’d freeze my ass off, literally. And second, your body is amazing. It practically stops traffic.”

“Stop changing the subject! Hmm…” Bess said, picking up a long, deep blue sleeveless shirt with a draped neckline and a design made from sequins of the same color as the fabric. “This might be nice with your dark skinny jeans and those silver sandals I made you get last month. Ooh, or how about this?” she squealed, discarding the shirt and selecting another one in turquoise with flowing, cutout sleeves. It would be so cute with those jeans and a pair of nude platform pumps.”

“You are out of control,” Nancy sighed.

“I’m still torn about the dress idea, though. It would be a crime to cover up those legs – I’m sure he’s noticed them.”

“He has,” Nancy blurted out without thinking. She cursed herself as she watched Bess’s face light up with glee.

“Ooh, you’ve already caught him checking out your body? Then we are _definitely_ going with a dress. This one,” Bess decided, pulling out a short dress in a deep plum color. Long-sleeved with a close-fitting skirt that skimmed her hips and stopped just above her knees, it covered her up entirely in the front, but the back was bare and plunged to a deep v. “I’m so glad I made you get this that time we went to the outlets. Business in the front, party in the back.”

“Yeah, I don’t think that’s what that phrase means, Bess.”

Ignoring her, Bess picked up a pair of silver chandelier earrings from Nancy’s bedside table. “Put on those silver sandals and these earrings, and poof! He will be putty in your hands.”

“Are you sure it’s not too much?” Nancy asked ninety minutes later, surveying herself in the mirror. “I feel like I’m trying too hard.” Despite her protestations, she secretly had to admit that Bess had done an incredible job of getting her ready. Her red-gold hair fell to her shoulders in soft waves; her makeup hid her tiredness and gave her just enough of a glow without being overdone. The dress fit her body like a glove and the sandals made her legs look even longer than they normally did.

“No, it is not. And, you need to try hard – this guy is amazing, Nan. He needs to know that you’re interested.”

“Why?” Nancy shrugged. “It’s not like I have free time to go out on dates and stuff. With all of this, I’m way behind in my studying for my classes and for the LSAT, which is ironic, really – I signed up for the class to be better prepared for my test, and the instructor has me so distracted that I don’t have time to prepare.”

“Nan, you are so hard on yourself. You’re twenty-two years old! You need to live a little! Now, come on – you need to leave so you get there on time. I’m all about the game playing and manipulation when it comes to men, but you don’t want to make this guy wait. “

Nancy thought that her father was going to give her a hard time about how she was dressed, but he just smiled at her and told her that she looked beautiful. He even gave her some money to take a cab so she wouldn’t have to navigate the bus or the steps to the train platform in her high heels.

During the ride over to the restaurant, Nancy’s stomach jumped with nerves. She willed herself to calm down by taking deep breaths, but as the cab got closer to its destination, she became even more nervous. After the taxi pulled up in front of **Topolobampo** and she had paid the driver, she stood outside for a moment, trying to compose herself.

Taking one final deep breath, she opened the door of the colorful restaurant and walked over to the hostess stand. “Hi, I’m meeting someone here? The name is Nickerson?”

“Ah, yes,” the pretty young hostess said. “I definitely remember that guy coming in. He’s at the bar.”

Nancy walked over to the crowded bar, and searched the faces until she saw Ned’s. His face lit up with a huge grin as he began walking towards her. He was even more handsome than she had remembered in his charcoal gray pants, silvery-gray button down shirt, and dark purple tie that she could barely believe it. She felt like her heart was pounding so hard that Ned would surely hear it when he approached her, and she was grateful for the noise of the bar crowd.

“Hey!” He beamed at her, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. The feel of his lips on her skin reminded her of their kiss last night, and she flushed at the memory. “You look…Wow. Just…wow. I thought you were beautiful in jeans and your work uniform, but this? You are absolutely gorgeous, Drew.”

She blushed happily. “Thanks – you don’t look too bad yourself.”

He laughed. “Well, coming from you, those are high words of praise, so I’ll gladly take them. Looks like we have a little wait for a table – want to get a drink first? Uh, I never even thought to ask – you are at least twenty-one, right?”

Nancy nodded, grinning. “You won’t get arrested, Nickerson – I’m legal.”

“Great,” he sighed, sounding a touch relieved. “Shall we?” Ned put his hand on her back to steer her towards the bar, and made a sound of surprise at finding it bare. “Damn, this dress just keeps getting better and better. First, the length of it, or lack thereof, then the fact that it’s clinging to your spectacular body, and now I find out that it’s cut out in the back? You win, Drew.”

His fingers gently began trailing up and down her spine, and Nancy was almost overcome with the urge to repeat their kiss from the night before, but she was afraid that she wouldn’t be able to stop this time. She had a brief, insane thought of sitting on one of the bar stools and wrapping her legs around him as they kissed and touched, then came back to reality as the mobs of people crowded around them as they approached the bar.

“So, what can I get you to drink?” he asked huskily.

“Um,” Nancy stuttered, still recovering from his touch, “This is a Mexican place, so I’m assuming that they have a decent margarita?”

“I would say that’s a safe assumption. Frozen or rocks?”

“Rocks – I’m not some airhead sorority girl, remember?”

“Excuse me, what was I thinking?”

They made small talk over the din at the bar while waiting for their table. Nancy tried to sip her drink slowly; the absolute last thing she needed was to get drunk and lose control of her actions when she was with him.

After thirty minutes, the hostess called them to their table in a quiet alcove. Ned held out her chair before taking his own seat across from her. When Nancy opened the menu, she blinked at the prices, mentally calculating whether she had enough with her to pay for her meal.

“So, I’ve never been here, either. What looks good to you?” Ned asked, perusing the menu.

“Hmmm…not sure,” Nancy responded casually, trying not to panic. “Hannah and I would watch the owner of this place on various cooking shows on TV and the all of the stuff he made looked amazing.”

“Oh, do you cook?”

“No – Hannah cooks and I eat.” When he chuckled, she went on. “She’s a phenomenal cook. That’s part of the reason why I didn’t want you to sample her baking the other night: you’d constantly be hanging around the building trying to get her to adopt or marry you.”

Ned laughed. “Speaking of…I heard her mention that you and your dad are like family to her. How long have you known her?”

Nancy was about to respond when the waitress came over to take their orders. Despite her best intentions, she ordered another margarita along with their appetizers.

When the waitress left, Ned gestured at her. “So, you were saying?”

“Oh, yeah. We’ve known Hannah since we moved to the apartment building about twelve years ago, which wasn’t long after my mom died. Her husband had passed away years before that, she didn’t have any kids, and her sisters live in Boston, so we kind of adopted each other. Hannah used to watch me after school before my dad came home from work, she helped me with ‘girl stuff’ as I was growing up, and she still cooks for us almost every night. We feel like we’re taking advantage, but she tells us that she loves taking care of us and that she needs us as much as we need her. ”

“That’s really sweet. And sorry to hear about your mom,” Ned commented, a look of sympathy warming his brown eyes.

“Thanks. Yeah, it was a big shock. She was in a convenience store picking up some supplies to surprise us with a nice cake for dinner and there was a robbery that went wrong…Then, to top it off, the guy who was convicted for her murder turned out to be innocent after serving almost two years in prison.”

He gasped. “Holy shit.”

“I know,” Nancy said, trying to keep her tone casual. She hadn’t told the story in a while, and she still found it difficult to relate, even after so much time had gone by. “At the time, my dad was on the partner track at a big, ritzy law firm here in the city. Well, my mom’s…death…completely devastated him. They were madly in love – it’s funny, the things you remember, but whenever I picture her now, I think of her and my dad laughing together and kissing. They were always so affectionate with each other…And, I don’t know why I’m talking about this. Way too intense for a first date.” She took a long sip of her margarita, draining the contents of her glass.

“No, please continue,” Ned prompted her, propping his chin on his hand. “My parents are like that, too. Sometimes it’s embarrassing, but mostly it’s just nice. It’s better that you think of her that way, rather than the way her life ended, right?”

Nancy looked at him, surprised. “No one’s ever said that to me before.”

He shrugged, slightly embarrassed. “Do you look like your mom?”

She smiled. “Everyone says I’m her spitting image.”

“Then she must have been incredibly beautiful.”

Nancy mouthed the words _thank you_ , blushing slightly. She didn’t know if it was the strong drink or his easy, relaxed demeanor that made her feel so comfortable about talking about herself. She usually didn’t like to open up to people, especially ones she had just met. “So, anyway…After what happened with my mom, my dad didn’t have the heart to do corporate law or contract law or some bullshit like that, so he just quit for a while. I think he needed some time to reevaluate.

“Then, when the wrong guy got sent to jail because he had a shitty lawyer, my dad decided to go with the criminal justice track, and joined the public defender’s office. He still works long, crazy hours like he did at the private firm, but he loves it. Even if the system can sometimes be corrupt, he still feels like he’s making a difference, you know? That’s why I want to go to law school.”

“Where are you looking to apply?”

“Northwestern is my number one choice,” she admitted as the waitress brought over their fresh drinks and set down their appetizers. Nancy picked up a tortilla chip and scooped some shrimp ceviche onto it.

Ned grinned. “You’re not just saying that because of me, are you?” He picked up his new glass and took a sip of his Dos Equis.

She chuckled. “No, it’s been my dream for as long as I can remember. I would have loved to go there for undergrad, too, but there was no way I could afford to do both. Not that I don’t like the University of Illinois, but still…the fact that it’s a state school was the deciding factor.”

“So, that’s why you work and/or study all of the time?” he ventured, helping himself to some of the marinated seafood appetizer.

Nancy nodded. “Yeah, I have to be good enough to get in because I know the competition’s tough, and I need to earn scholarships. And, it’ll be a tough road, financially, even with aid and scholarships and loans. My dad had a little money put aside for my college fund, but he can’t really help out more, not on a public defender’s salary. Not that I’d want him to, either – I don’t need handouts.

“I took a year off before starting college to work two full-time jobs so I’d have enough for tuition. Now, I save every penny and take on as many shifts as I can at Mastro’s and 312 Chicago without jeopardizing my schoolwork. That’s why I still live at home, too - it’s a big help, financially. Plus, my dad and I are really close,” she added, taking more shrimp.

“Your drive and determination are amazing.” She had a smart remark ready on her tongue but halted when she saw that he was looking at her with admiration instead of being flippant.

“Thanks,” she said modestly. “But, really, enough about me,” she told him, enjoying the warmth of his gaze on her. “Didn’t we also do this so you could prove to me that you weren’t an egotistical asshole, and I could remove the large chip from my shoulder?”

Ned let out a shocked laugh. “I guess we did, huh? Okay, so you already know the basics, but here it is. Like you, I’m an only child, but I grew up in Mapleton. My dad does well for himself – not super-rich or anything, but let’s just say I grew up very comfortable. I was lucky enough not to have to worry about cost when I considered schools, and for that I’m extremely grateful. I went to Emerson because I wanted to experience something different, not just go to the same college where most of the people in my high school went, and I’m glad I did – it was a great place to go to school.

“I played basketball, and I was pretty damn good it at – so much so, I was actually offered the shot to be drafted to the NBA.” When Nancy raised her eyebrows, impressed, he grinned self-consciously. “Despite everyone telling me I was crazy, I turned it down. I hated the thought of being on the road non-stop and not seeing my friends and family. Then, one stupid injury, and I’d be out. Plus, like you, I really, really wanted to go to law school.

“So, I made sure I wasn’t the stereotypical dumb jock and busted my ass to get good grades. My goal is to be a sports lawyer – the best of both worlds for me. Even though it would involve some contract law or some bullshit like that.” He flashed her a quick smile after quoting her earlier words, and she had the grace to flush. “I briefly thought about going to the East Coast for law school, but when I was accepted at Northwestern, I was glad to be able to stay close to home. I live here in the city with two of my best friends from college.”

“Two of your fellow frat brothers, I’m assuming?” Nancy inquired sweetly.

“Yes, and every night we have a raging kegger in our apartment,” he deadpanned.

She laughed. “Okay, so if you don’t really need the money, why are you teaching the LSAT prep course?”

“Well, because I did really well on my test, and because I need to earn money to pay rent and eat and stuff like that. I also work during the summers, too.”

“Makes sense,” Nancy nodded. “And this whole ‘mentoring of children’ thing? Tell me about that, please.”

“Is this a first date, or a job interview?” Ned chuckled.

“A little bit of both?”

“Fair enough,” he shrugged, though she could definitely detect a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. “Yeah, about one or two weekends a month I work with a program that provides mentors to kids whose family situations are less than ideal: we help them with their school work, play sports…sometimes, all they want us to do is listen and be there, you know? Although, it feels kind of selfish sometimes, because I get so much more out of it than the kids do, I’m sure. They’re just really cool to hang around. You should come by one weekend, if you don’t have to work.”

Nancy was touched: she thought for sure that he’d tell her he was just doing it as a resume builder or something like that, but she could tell that he genuinely meant what he was saying, that it wasn’t just a load of crap to get into her pants. Not that she’d let him get anywhere near her pants tonight…Just to be sure, she set down her drink without taking a sip. “So, were you really a boy scout?”

“I was,” he acknowledged, taking a drink. “I was good at the knots but not so good with the ‘building fire with two sticks’ part.”

“Ah, see, I knew there was something you had to be bad at,” she crowed triumphantly.

“You caught me.”

They chatted a little bit more until the waitress brought their entrees. This time, Nancy resisted the temptation for another margarita.

“Okay, so we’ve covered our backgrounds and our life goals…So tell me what you like to do for fun, Drew.” Ned stuck a fork into his slow-roasted pork entrée and watched the steam rise from his dish.

“Fun?” she asked in surprise as she dug in to the red beans that accompanied her grilled fish.

“Yeah, I think your friend mentioned that you don’t have a lot of it. But, when you do have time, what do you like to do?”

“Um, I don’t know…I like to be active, like skating or swimming or playing tennis - stuff like that. I like reading – classics, mysteries, true-crime stuff…I’ll watch TV once in a while, and I like to go to the movies.”

“See, we have all of that stuff in common,” he beamed, taking a forkful of food. “But here’s an important question – do you like to dance?”

Taken aback, she looked at him, puzzled. “Dance? Like, what kind of dancing?”

“Like the kind that two people do when they hear music? Either getting down to a beat in a club or at a party… or, dancing slow and close, their bodies pressed up against each other as kind of a precursor to other things they’ll be doing later.”

Nancy felt a flush that had nothing to do with the spiciness of her meal. “I like dancing,” she said slowly, cautiously.

“Good,” he told her, flashing her a sexy grin. “I like to hear that. Because I love dancing.”

“So, explain something to me,” Nancy said, trying to change the subject so she could stop thinking about being pressed up against Ned.

“What’s that?”

“How is it that a guy who looks like you seems so damn nice and normal? I mean, here you are, good grades, community service, a student at a top law school, teaching classes…I seriously would have never guessed that you were a…”

“If you finish that sentence with the words ‘frat boy’, then I’m getting up from this table and leaving you here at the restaurant by yourself.” She could tell that he was mostly teasing her, but not entirely.

“Sorry, but it’s just my experience,” she shrugged.

“I joined the frat because I thought they were a cool bunch of guys, and they are. They were all serious about school and community projects, and they were decent dudes. Were there parties? Yes, there were. Did those parties include alcohol? Yes, ninety-nine percent of them did. Did I hook up with a lot of dumb girls when I was drunk because I was in a frat and I was a basketball star and I could? Yes, I did – in the beginning, at least.

“But, you know, it got old really fast. So, let’s just say that as I’ve gotten older, I’ve become a lot more selective when it comes to the women I go out with…and the women I sleep with.” He looked directly into her eyes, and she found impossible to turn away.

“I live with my friends and we have a good time hanging out: playing video games, watching movies, drinking… Yeah, we still have parties, but Mike and I study a lot – he’s in dental school – and Howie works a lot of long hours.”

“Okay, so why don’t you have a girlfriend?” she blurted out before she could stop herself.

“Because I haven’t been able to find someone I liked enough to make my girlfriend? Until recently, anyway.” A grin touched Ned’s lips.” But I need to get to know her better. Everything I’ve learned about her so far makes her the most interesting woman I’ve ever met, and I’m unbelievably attracted to her, but I feel like I’ve just scratched the surface. I’m just hoping that she gives me the chance to find out more.”

Nancy’s heart began beating quickly again, and she felt like she could drown in his dark brown gaze. “Look, Ned, I…”

“That’s the first time you’ve called me by my first name, you know,” he interrupted, and his voice was husky. “I like it.”

The spark of desire that she had felt earlier re-ignited, and it grew into something hotter and stronger when she accidentally brushed her leg against his under the table. “Sorry,” she croaked.

“I’m not,” he countered, continuing to stare at her. “But, you were saying?”

Nancy tried desperately to remember. “Yeah, look…You’re a very nice guy, nothing like what I thought you’d be, and I’m sorry that I’ve been giving you such a hard time. But I think we both want different things.”

“I want to spend time with you – go places, hang out, study, eat meals together, sometimes enjoy an alcoholic beverage or two. Then, eventually, I want to spend naked time with you.” He flashed her a wicked grin. “Is that not what you want?”

“Ned…”

“Answer me, Nancy. Do you not want those things, too? Can you honestly tell me that you aren’t glad that you came here tonight and that you don’t want to be with me again? Be honest, please.”

She tried to put him off, but found that she couldn’t. “Ned, it’s not that I don’t like you or that I’m not extremely attracted to you…” She almost forgot what she was saying when he gave her a broad smile. “It’s just that I have to concentrate on school and stuff.”

“So do I,” he said. “But I don’t want that to get in the way of us. We can study together and hang out, like I said – it doesn’t have to be fancy restaurants like this all the time. We’ll figure out how to make the time, Nancy.”

“But…”

“Didn’t you tell me before that your parents were really in love?” he asked suddenly.

“Yeah, but what does that have to do with it?” she replied, surprised.

“Well, don’t you want that, too? I do – I see what my parents have, and I’ve always wondered if I’d find that. When I met you, it was like I was hit by lightening – it kind of scared the shit out of me, to be honest. What if we’re it for each other? Don’t you want to open yourself to the possibility? Won’t you be sorry if you don’t take the chance?”

He leaned across the table earnestly. “I don’t know about you, but the dates I’ve gone on lately were nothing like this. I’m tired of girls who won’t eat anything in front of a guy, or ones who only want to talk about _The Real Housewives of Who the Fuck Knows Where_ or some other insipid reality show. I spend my time wondering how quickly I can end things, or what kind of stupid comment she’ll make that’ll make me want to go to the restroom and never come out.

“This one girl? We were talking about restaurants and food, and she actually asked me if there was a difference between Taiwan and Thailand or if they were the same place and people just said the name differently. I kid you not.”

Nancy started to laugh and Ned joined in. “You lie.”

“Swear to God,” he replied, his hand raised as if he were taking an oath. “And she was a college graduate and everything. Now do you see what I mean? Come on, please save me from that, Nancy.”

Nancy was finding it harder and harder to resist. “So, how would this work? After all, you’re my instructor, Ned.”

“Well, during class I treat you like any one of my other students. Then afterwards, we get coffee or a meal or go to the library and study. When we both have free time, we get together. We make dates like this on Sunday nights. I’m not asking you to get married tomorrow, Drew, I just want to see you again.”

“So, like, tomorrow? I mean, I really, really have to hit the books – I’m so behind, and I was planning on catching up after your class.”

“Then why don’t we go study? Name the place.”

“My apartment? I can probably get Hannah to bake something good,” she teased.

“Okay, perfect. It’s a date.” His face lit up with a grin. “Now, speaking of dessert…What would you like tonight?”

“Oh, I am stuffed,” she told him, leaning back in her seat. “There’s no way I could eat another bite.”

“Not even a bite of cake if I order it? One thing you should know about me – I almost never turn down dessert. That’s why it killed me to say no to Hannah’s butter cake – that and the fact that I couldn’t get to spend more time with you, of course.”

“Such a flatterer,” she smiled. “Okay, well, I could probably taste what you order. And have some coffee.”

After they shared a caramel coconut flan and Ned teased her about taking more than a bite, they lingered over coffee. “So, did you have a good time, after I practically forced you to go out with me?”

“I did,” she admitted. “The food was delicious.”

“Hey! What about the company?” he asked, pointing at himself.

A smile played at the corner of her lips. “That wasn’t bad, either.”

When the check came, Ned automatically picked it up. “And before you start asking me about whether you can pay half or some shit like that, I’m telling you right now that it’s on me. Including tip.”

“Ned,” she protested. “I can pay for it…” She mentally calculated in her head and realized that she probably couldn’t, but that wasn’t about to stop her from offering.

“But I want to,” he told her firmly. “I asked you out, and I want to pay for you. This is a real date, Drew, much as you probably don’t want to admit it to yourself.”

“Thank you,” Nancy said simply, and she was rewarded with an easy smile from him.

“You’re welcome. Now, where would you like to go after here?”

“After?” she asked, blinking in surprise.

“Yeah. It’s still kinda early, so I thought that we could still spend some time together. Unless you’re too tired from working so hard?” he asked solicitously.

Truthfully, she was exhausted, but she really didn’t want the night to end yet. “No, I’m good,” she fibbed. “What did you have in mind? I don’t think I’m up to dancing…”

Ned chuckled. “We’ll save that for another time. We could go to Buckingham Fountain, or the Navy Pier, or…we could go back to my place? Just for a drink and a movie or something,” he added hastily when he saw her hesitation. “Both of my roommates are out – Howie’s on a business trip, and Mike’s out with his girlfriend and is staying over at her place tonight, so the place is all mine.”

Nancy felt a flutter of nerves at the thought of being completely alone with him in his apartment. She had already had a couple of drinks and was definitely turned on by his very nearness; she couldn’t imagine what it would be like to sit close to him on a couch…or be within the proximity of his bed. Suddenly, she realized that she had been silent for far too long. “Um, sure,” she said finally. “We could go to your place. But, that doesn’t mean - ”

“I know, it doesn’t mean that anything’s going to happen,” he finished her sentence. “And that’s fine. I just want to hang out with you for a little bit longer.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's a little more adult than the other chapters, so it warrants an 'R' rating.

He paid the check, and Nancy smiled when he left a generous tip for their waitress. As they left, he took her hand, and she silently admitted that it felt nice. They hailed a cab to his apartment; from the address, Nancy could tell that it was in a very upscale part of the city. 

His building was a high-rise with a modern lobby. “My place is on the third floor - we can either take the elevator, or walk up. Wait - can you even walk in those shoes?” 

Nancy ruefully glanced down at her feet. “Yeah, I can do it, even with these stupid shoes.” 

“Oh, stupid isn’t the word I’d use to describe them. I’d go with sexy,” he told her, a slight grin on his face. “Very, very sexy.” 

Nancy flushed lightly as she brushed past him to walk up the steps. When they reached the third floor landing, he led her to one of the doors in the middle of the hallway and keyed it open. “Wow, nice,” she commented, surveying the gleaming white walls and black overstuffed furniture. “And, very neat, considering the fact that three guys live here,” she teased. 

Ned grinned sheepishly. “Well, I sort of cleaned up earlier, just in case.” 

“Oh, did you?” she asked archly, but she was amused. 

“Did you want the tour?” 

“Sure, why not?” she shrugged. “This is quite the fancy place you’ve got here.” _Which means he has money, that he’s more than just ‘comfortable’ like he said earlier,_ she thought. 

He looked slightly embarrassed. “Yeah, well, Mike’s family is kinda rich, so he covers a lot more of the rent than Howie and I do. He has the biggest bedroom. Howie cooks to make up for it, but he loves to do it anyway. I clean up, which I hate to do.” Nancy chuckled. “So, okay, here’s the living room, that’s the kitchen,” he pointed to a small galley kitchen with stainless steel appliances,” and that’s the hallway leading to the bedrooms and bathroom.” 

Ned gave her a quick sideways glance before continuing to the hall. “This is the bathroom, this is Mike’s room, that’s Howie’s, and here’s mine,” he pointed to the second door on the right. The door was closed, and he hesitated before opening it. Nancy peeked inside to see a queen-sized bed covered with a black and gray comforter, a dresser, chest of drawers, and a closet, along with a large flat-screen TV and a game console. 

She had a fleeting thought of them rolling around on that comforter, their clothes halfway off, but pushed it out of her head. “Nice,” she told him, clearing her throat. “So, I see that you have a game system in here, too.” 

“Yep,” he told her, “I’m very competitive.” 

“Same here. I bet I could probably whip your ass in Wii bowling or tennis.” 

“Yeah, right, Drew. I doubt that. One of these days, I’ll make you put your money where your mouth is and we’ll see if you’re still talking trash after I beat you at both.” Nancy made a face at him, and he chuckled. 

“Do you like real bowling, too?” he asked, closing the door and leading her back to the living room. Nancy was glad that she didn’t have to stare at the bed any longer; she suspected that he was also trying to get away from there as quickly as possible. 

“I do – there’s this fun place that has disco bowling nights and great drinks. It’s the only way I can drag Bess to do anything vaguely sporty.” 

“We should go sometime,” he said casually. “So, can I interest you in something to drink? We have liquor, beer, pop, bottled water, mineral water, sparkling water… And before you mock me for being douche-y with the fancy water, Mike’s parents were over here a few weeks ago for dinner, and his dad only drinks mineral water with his scotch. I told you they were rich.” 

She cracked up. “That’s a relief. I didn’t want to come this far in removing the chip from my shoulder only to have to put it back on.” 

“So, it is off, then?” he asked, flashing her a grin. 

“Not all the way, but it’s getting closer,” Nancy told him breezily. “Um, some pop would be great. Coke, if you have any?” There was no way she was going to drink more alcohol – she felt like her resistance was already at an all-time low. 

“Have a seat in the meantime.” He gestured to the sofa. 

Nancy ignored his suggestion and stepped out of her shoes before wandering the living room, looking at photos that were displayed on the wall and entertainment unit. In them, Ned was posing with a tall, lanky brown-haired guy and an even taller African-American man. He came back with a can of Coke and a glass filled with ice for her, and a bottle of beer for him, and watched her staring at the pictures. “So, those are us,” he said, coming up behind her. 

“Pictures taken at the frat house?” she asked, thanking him for the drink. 

“Yes, and I saw you trying not to make a face,” he replied, his tone light. “So, what is it that you have against frat guys, if I may ask?” 

“Oh, where do I begin?” she replied airily. “Well, the ones I met when I first started school and began attending parties – back when I didn’t know any better - they all wanted to get me so drunk that I’d put out. Then, there was one who I had thought was decent, but he apparently did not know that no means no.” 

She saw Ned’s hand clench into an involuntary fist. “So, what happened? And please tell me that fucker wasn’t Omega Chi.” 

“Nothing happened. Jackass was at least eight inches taller and had a good 70 pounds on me, but I was finally able to wrestle free. My dad made sure that I had self-defense classes when I was in high school, so I kicked him in a certain area and punched him. Oh, and he wasn’t Omega Chi – some other chapter.” 

“Good for you,” Ned replied, seeming impressed. “Did you report the guy?” 

“I did. Turns out I wasn’t the first girl who had done it to, and he got expelled. Thank God we didn’t go to the same school, so I didn’t have to deal with the repercussions. And when his parents found out about what he had done, they were so pissed that they dragged his ass back to Oregon.” 

“I’m just glad that nothing more serious happened to you,” he told her, reaching out to take her hand as he led her to the sofa and settled down next to her. 

“Now, everything nasty you’ve said about frat guys kinda makes sense,” he admitted. “And I don’t know how to say this in a non-egotistical way, but here goes. I never saw the appeal of trying to get someone to do something against their will when there were plenty of girls who were more than willing to hook up. And, when I’m into someone enough that I want to have sex, I’m not into the idea of either of us or both of us being so drunk that we don’t know where we are or who we’re with.” 

Nancy smiled. “It’s not egotistical, it’s honest. I’m sure there have been tons of girls who were ready, willing and able to put out for you.” 

Ned shrugged sheepishly. “Yeah. But I was serious when I told you that I’m not into that anymore. I want to have sex with someone who I actually know and like, someone who I’d like to stay the night with and will actually be glad to see the next morning.” 

Chuckling, she took her hand from his. “That sounds like an admirable goal.” 

“You’re not the only one with ambition, Drew,” he replied lightly. 

Nancy wanted to get the conversation away from the topic of sex. She cleared her throat before changing the subject. “So, I think you said something about a movie.” 

“I did. Any requests? Among Howie, Mike and I, we probably have every movie known to mankind. Although, not that many chick flicks, unless they were ones brought over by their girlfriends.” Ned got up and opened a drawer in the entertainment unit and began rummaging around. 

She laughed. “And what makes you think I’m into chick flicks? Personally, I prefer action-suspense.” 

“I apologize. Well, here are some,” he told her, holding up a few DVDs. Nancy pointed to one and he turned on the TV and flipped on the DVD player before settling back down on the couch next to her. 

Even though they weren’t touching, Nancy could feel her body responding to his closeness. After a few minutes, he casually put his arm around her shoulders and let his hand hang down. During a particularly suspenseful scene in the movie, they both jumped up, then laughed. Ned tightened his hold on her and Nancy reached up her hand to link her fingers through his as if it were the most natural thing in the world. She could only see the profile of his face, but she could tell that lips were curved upwards in a small grin. 

Nancy had barely been paying attention to the movie before; now she couldn’t focus at all. She snuck glances at him, barely able to believe how handsome he was and what a good time she’d had with him tonight. They were so different that Nancy didn’t think this thing between them could ever possibly last, and she wanted to savor the time with him so that she could have the memory when he got tired of her and moved on to someone else in a few weeks. She was waiting for him to make a move on her, and had to admit to herself that she felt slightly disappointed that he hadn’t already done so. _It’s your own damn fault for telling him that you don’t give it up easily_ , she chastised herself. 

After a few more minutes, Ned glanced over at her. “Are you paying attention to this movie? Because I’m not.” 

Nancy blinked, startled. “Wh - what do you mean?” she stammered. 

“Well, I’ve seen it before and it’s pretty good, but right now, I couldn’t care less. All I can think about is you – how much I’ve enjoyed tonight, how gorgeous you are…And how I really, really want to kiss you again.” She looked into his eyes to see if he was feeding her a line, but they radiated sincerity. 

“Well, what’s stopping you?” she whispered. 

That was all of the urging he needed. Ned gave her a tender kiss, and Nancy thought that her heart would come out of her chest. She opened her mouth to give his tongue access, and he slid it over hers in a slow, teasing rhythm. 

“Mmmm…” he murmured, grinning. “God, as good as I remembered. You taste good.” He began kissing her more deeply, more passionately, and Nancy felt like all of the nerve endings in her body were affected. The crotch of her panties became wet, and she silently gave a prayer of thanks that she had worn the stick-on breast petals that Bess had given her earlier, as they were concealing her erect nipples. 

Ned gently leaned forward and pushed her onto her back on the couch. He eased himself on top of her, careful not to put his weight onto her body, and kept on kissing her. _God, this is better than the actual sex I had with Dan, and all we’re doing is kissing_ , she thought, astonished. She couldn’t even imagine what it would be like to have sex with Ned: her brain would probably implode. 

Nancy drew one leg up so that her knee was bent, and brushed it against his pant leg. Ned groaned and moved one hand to her ribcage before tentatively sliding it up to her breast. She knew she should stop this, should push him away, but right now, she couldn’t think of a damn reason why. 

When she didn’t stop him, Ned began lightly stroking her breast through the material of her dress, and Nancy could actually feel herself shiver. All of a sudden, he pulled back and a puzzled look crossed his face. 

“What?” she whispered. 

“Um, I thought for sure you’d be…that I’d feel your…” Ned replied, still looking confused. 

“What? Oh!” she cried, suddenly remembering the petals. “I’m wearing stickers because the back of the dress was too open for me to wear a bra,” she admitted, blushing slightly. 

Ned cracked up. “Okay, that makes sense now. I mean, if there were something wrong…with it,” he gestured to her breast, “it would still be okay, but it just freaked me out a little.” 

“Um, if you wait a second, I can take them off,” Nancy told him shyly. Ned moved off of her and Nancy pushed herself into a sitting position. He looked at her expectantly, and she chuckled. “Turn around, Ned.” 

He laughed again but complied with her request. Nancy hastily shoved her hands down the top of her dress and winced when she pulled off first one sticker and then the other. _Damn, Bess did **not** warn me about that_ , she thought, rubbing her breasts. She flung the petals onto his coffee table and looked down to see her erect nipples clearly outlined through the flimsy, clinging fabric of her dress. _I should so say no to this_ , she sighed internally. _I should just leave now and take my stickers with me before this goes too far. Maybe just a little longer…_

“Everything okay?” Ned asked, still facing the opposite way. She realized that she had been silent for longer than she should’ve been. 

“Yeah,” she answered, proud that her voice didn’t quaver. “You can turn back, Ned.” 

He moved his body back to face hers, and his face lit up with a huge smile at the sight of her loose breasts beneath the dress. Nancy’s first instinct was to cross her hands over her front but she squelched it and kept her back straight. 

“You look so fucking sexy right now, with your lips all red from our kissing and your nipples hard like that.” His words caused her clit to twinge and it took all of her power not to climb onto his lap. “I want you so much. Let me tell you that it’s a good thing that I didn’t know earlier that all you had under that smokin’ hot dress were those stickers and some underwear. We totally would’ve skipped dinner. But wait a minute – maybe you’re wearing stick-on underwear, too?” 

His expression was so hopeful that she laughed instead of being offended. “Nope,” she replied, batting her eyelashes at him. “Just a plain old pair of boy shorts.” 

“Nice,” he told her, a lustful grin on his face. “Are they really plain, or are they lacy, or what?” 

_This is getting out of hand_ , she thought frantically. “Since this is our first date, you don’t get to find out, Nickerson,” she replied lightly, hoping that the panic didn’t show on her face. 

“Okay,” he said quickly, as if he sensed her discomfort at how quickly things were moving. “The last thing I want to do is freak you out. Can we keep kissing, and can I touch you again?” 

“I wish you would,” Nancy confessed before she could stop herself. 

Ned wasted no time. He covered her mouth with his and slid his hand over her breast, using his thumb to tease the erect nipple through the fabric of her dress. Nancy eased back so that she was again lying on the sofa with his body on top of hers. 

They kissed for a while longer, and Nancy began unconsciously arching up to meet his body. She was enveloped in a hazy cloud of desire and couldn’t think of anything but the feel of his lips on hers, the touch of his hand caressing her breast, and the pressure of his hard-on pressed against her leg through his pants. When he began sliding up the hem of her dress with his other hand, the feel of his palm on her bare thigh brought her back to reality. 

“Ned, stop,” she whispered against his mouth. “Please, I –“ 

He instantly stilled his hands and slid back off of her. The reluctance on his face was plain to see, and his breathing was heavy. “I’m sorry, Nancy. I – just – it felt so good. You felt so good.” 

She was breathing as heavily as he was and placed her hand over her heart, feeling it pound against her flattened palm. “We need to stop, and I need to go, Nickerson.” Nancy was chagrined to hear that her voice was wobbly. She cleared her throat. “I need to go,” she repeated, this time with more force. 

“Okay.” Ned rose from the couch and held out his hand to help her up. She took it, trying to ignore the spike in her pulse rate at the feel of his skin against hers again. 

Nancy looked down and saw the discarded breast petals lying on his coffee table. “I, um, should, um…” She hastily snatched them up, feeling the flush spread over her cheeks. 

Ned nodded. “Bathroom’s that way,” he gestured toward the hallway. 

“Yeah, I remember. Be right back.” She hurried towards it, careful not to look at him as she passed him on the way. 

Once she had closed the door to the bathroom behind her, Nancy leaned against the back of the door and heaved a huge sigh. “How the hell did you let things get so far?” she whispered to herself angrily. “You know better than this!” 

She ran her hands under the cold water and placed her palms against her burning cheeks. Part of her the redness was due to her embarrassment, but she knew that the rest was thanks to her arousal. When she felt her internal temperature lowering, she reached under the top of her dress and managed to re-stick the petals back on to her breasts. She checked the mirror to make sure that her nipples were concealed and that her makeup wasn’t smeared, and gave another deep sigh before opening the door. 

Ned was sitting on the couch, watching a basketball game, but quickly stood up when he saw her re-enter the room. “Hey, are you okay?” he asked, concerned. 

She nodded, still not quite meeting his gaze. “Fine. Just…It’s been a long day, and we went further…” 

“Say no more,” he interrupted her. “I was out of line, and I’m sorry. Please don’t think that you have to leave. We can just watch a movie or TV, and I can sit on the other side of the couch.” 

“Nickerson, it’s been nice, but I have to go. This wasn’t a good idea.” She looked down at her sandals, noticing that the polish Bess had applied earlier had already chipped on one of her toenails. 

“What wasn’t, Nancy? I hope you weren’t talking about our whole date in general, because I had a really nice time tonight. And, would you please look at me?” His tone was firm but gentle. 

She finally looked up. “Nickerson, I…I did have a nice time. A really nice time,” she admitted, almost losing her resolve when he gave her a tender grin. “But, this…,“ she gestured to the couch, “…I can’t get involved like this. It’s not you, it’s me.” Nancy grimaced when she heard the cliché coming out of her mouth. 

He frowned. “Nancy, I felt like we made such progress at dinner. Didn’t we say that we were going to try to see if we could make this work because we both felt like there was something special between us? Am I wrong about this, about us?” 

She shook her head slowly. “You weren’t wrong, Nickerson,” she replied in a low voice. “This was the best date I’ve ever had. But, I can’t do this. I am so attracted to you and I can’t afford to get carried away the way I almost just let myself. I’m not a virgin, but I just need to be careful.” 

“Again, I am so sorry. I just find you so beautiful and sexy, and it felt so good to touch you and kiss you, but if you want to go slow with the physical stuff, that’s okay. I’m not used to begging, but please. _Please_ , Nancy, don’t walk away from this. I think we’ll both be sorry if you do.” 

Nancy bit her lip, torn. She knew that he was right, but she couldn’t control the fear and anxiety she felt about surrendering control. But when she thought about having to see him in class twice a week and having to ignore the feelings he brought out in her, it was too much to bear. “I… I want to see you again, but I just need us to go more slowly.” 

“And I’m okay with that. I mean, at some point, I’m gonna want to...” he grinned suggestively, and she blushed a little. “But I’m not the kind of guy who says it has to happen on the fourth date, or the tenth…” 

“Thank you.” Despite her fears, she walked over to stand in front of him and gently pressed her lips against hers. She was relieved when Ned returned her kiss without deepening it. 

“Now, will you let me take you home?” he asked, cupping her chin in his hand. 

She shook her head. “No, I’ll get a cab.” 

“Are you sure I can’t talk you out of it?” 

“No, it’s fine.” 

“Can I at least take the cab with you and see you to your door?” 

“Ned, I don’t want to inconvenience you. You’re already home, and it’s late…” 

“You aren’t inconveniencing me. Besides, this way, I’ll get to spend a little more time with you, and we’ll have a chaperone in the cab driver, so you won’t need to worry.” He flashed her a quick grin. 

Nancy nodded and tried to look reluctant, but secretly, she was pleased. He called a cab and they walked down to the lobby. When the taxi pulled up in front of his building, he held the door and slid in next to her, taking her hand. 

  
They chatted during the ride to her apartment and when the cab arrived, he asked the driver to wait a few minutes, overriding her objections. “I told you I was going to see you to your door, Drew. And I’m paying for the ride, so I don’t want to hear you complain.” 

She bit her tongue and didn’t argue. They took the elevator to her apartment, still holding hands. When they got her door, Nancy fished in her purse for her keys. 

“So, are we still on for tomorrow night?” he asked hopefully. 

Nancy smiled at him. “We are. I’ll wait for you after class and we’ll come back here. Any requests for dessert? Hannah will definitely make something good, especially when I tell her it’s for you. You left quite an impression on her.” 

“Well, as long as I also made an impression on her sexy neighbor, then I’m happy. Chocolate cake would just be a nice bonus.” 

She chuckled. “I can put in your request. Um, Nickerson?” 

“Yes, Drew?” 

“Tomorrow, in class…Can you kind of make sure that other people don’t know that we’re …going out? I don’t want people to think of me as a slut who’s hooking up with the teacher, you know?” 

“Well, I kind of agree with you. Not about the slut part,” Ned amended hastily, “about the keeping quiet part. We’re not doing anything wrong, but I don’t want people to think of me as a perv professor who’s hooking up with his students.” She laughed. “Plus, sneaking around? Kind of hot.” 

“Okay, good. So, it’s probably best if I don’t wait for you right after class ends.” 

“Good point. Well, the building where class meets is right next to the library…Why don’t we meet there? There are couches and chairs in the entrance area, so the person who gets there first can wait for the other one,” he suggested. 

“Sounds like a plan,” she said lightly. “Now, I really do have to get in some studying tonight, and I have to get up early for classes tomorrow. Thank you again for tonight – for dinner, for the conversation…” 

“For the making out?” he asked impishly. He laughed when she swatted at him. “It was my pleasure, trust me.” He leaned down and kissed her, slowly, tenderly, then gently slipped his tongue between her lips. 

They kissed for a full two minutes before Nancy reluctantly pulled away. “I have to go inside now. I’m sure that Hannah and/or my dad is checking the clock and will come out here looking for me any minute now.” 

“We can’t have that,” Ned told her, giving her another quick kiss. “Good night, Nancy. See you tomorrow.” 

“Good night, Ned,” she echoed. 

He kissed her once more, and Nancy pushed him away, giggling. “Go. Now. I mean it.” 

Ned sighed, but backed away from her door. “See you tomorrow, Drew,” he repeated. 

When he was out of sight, Nancy took a deep breath before putting her key into the lock of her door and opening it. She couldn’t wait for tomorrow’s class. 


	6. Chapter 6

Nancy was getting ready for bed when she heard her cell phone buzz, signaling an incoming text. She smiled when she saw it was from Ned. 

_Had a great time, Drew. Can’t stop thinking about u._

__

_Enjoyed myself, too, Nickerson. See u 2morrow._

__

_\--_

__

The next morning, she was getting dressed to get ready for school when her phone buzzed again. She first thought it would be Bess, whose frantic texts begging for an update on her date had gone unanswered last night. Nancy still wanted to savor the memory for a little while before sharing any of it. However, she was surprised to see that it was another text from Ned. 

__

_Good morning, gorgeous. Checking 2 make sure u haven’t changed ur mind & aren’t backing out of our date 2night?_

Nancy chuckled. The truth was that she had been toying with telling him no so she could avoid temptation. But the thought of turning him down filled her with such disappointment that she squelched the urge. 

She typed back a message: _Good morning. Nope, still on 4 2night. See u l8r._

__

_Good - can’t wait,_ was his reply a minute later. 

Humming to herself, Nancy surveyed her closet and took care to select an outfit that was slightly nicer than the normal jeans and t-shirt she would have worn to school. Since she wouldn’t have time to change before going to the LSAT prep class, she’d have to wear it all day, so it still had to be somewhat comfortable. Wishing she had Bess with her to dispel fashion advice, Nancy dug through the rack of clothes and pulled out a nice pair of dark skinny jeans, a light blue tank top, and a navy cotton blazer. On impulse, she threw on a soft cotton scarf in shades of blue and a pair of dangling silver earrings. Stepping into brown calf-high flat boots, she swiped on a coat of peach lip gloss to complete the look. Satisfied with her reflection in the mirror, she grabbed her book bag, her purse and her phone and left. 

It took supreme effort for her to concentrate on her classes during the day, but Nancy couldn’t help daydreaming about Ned a few times anyway. She flushed just thinking about what they had done on his couch and she was keyed up at the idea of seeing him again that night. 

As Nancy walked into the LSAT classroom later that day, she found that she had arrived before George. Settling into an empty seat and saving the vacant one next to her, she pulled out her notebook and test prep booklet. As she was about to flip to the page where they had left off during the last session, something cast a shadow over her book. Nancy looked up to see two of the blonde girls who had attempted to flirt with Ned last week after class. 

Suppressing a sigh, Nancy pasted what she hoped was a friendly grin on her face. _Apparently, it may be tougher than we thought to keep this a secret_ , she thought to herself. 

“Hi, can I help you?” she asked, trying for a pleasant tone. 

“What’s your secret?” The taller girl asked. She was wearing a low-cut dress and entirely too much makeup for a Monday evening law school test prep class. _Entirely too much makeup for a club on a Saturday night, for that matter_ , Nancy thought sourly. 

“I’m sorry?” Nancy asked aloud, pretending not to understand. 

“Your secret for getting the attention of our super-sexy teacher? We were all trying to get him to talk to us? But he asked you to stay after class?” The shorter girl was dressed in a skin-tight pair of jeans, a form-fitting t-shirt, and high-heeled boots, and had the annoying habit of making every sentence sound like a question, whether it actually was or not. “What was that about? Did you meet him before?” Nancy could tell she was trying to sound friendly, but the look in the girl’s eye was anything but. 

Nancy tried not to panic. Unfortunately, Ned hadn’t arrived yet, so class wouldn’t start for another few minutes, at least. “No, we don’t know each other. After Monday’s class, I had asked him about Northwestern Law, and he wanted to give me some brochures,” she fibbed, mentally crossing her fingers.   
  


“Really?” the shorter girl asked, not looking entirely convinced. “I’m thinking about Northwestern myself? Maybe I should ask him for ‘special help’, too?” she said silkily, using air quotes. 

Shrugging, Nancy uncapped her pen, trying to look like she wanted to get to work. “Maybe you should,” she said, her tone deliberately casual. 

“I wonder if he can give extra tutoring sessions,” Tall Girl smirked. “Like at night, in my apartment.” Her friend giggled. 

Nancy was about to give a bland response when George sat down next to her. “Hey, Nancy. Thanks for saving me a seat. Traffic was ridiculous tonight.” 

The two blondes looked at each other and walked away without saying another word. George turned to Nancy, a curious expression on her face. “What was that all about?” 

“Hmm? Oh, them? Nothing,” Nancy replied nonchalantly. 

“Really? So they were giving you their best bitchfaces for nothing? It wasn’t related to the fact that Professor Studly seems to be into you, even though they were throwing themselves at him?” 

Nancy blushed. “He’s not into me, George. I’m just another one of his students.” 

“Um, the only one of his students he stares at when she’s not looking, you mean.” George threw her an amused grin when Nancy blushed even deeper. “He likes you.” She used a singsong tone to tease Nancy. 

“No!” Nancy protested, although it sounded weak even to her ears. “It’s not like that. He just wanted to give me some information about Northwestern Law.” 

“Yeah, he wanted to give you something, all right,” George answered cheekily. “And I wouldn’t call it his ‘information’. I’d call it his…” 

“George!” Nancy hissed, feigning a look of shock as George giggled. “It’s nothing. There is nothing. Between us. Except that he’s my teacher. And I’m his student.” She was dangerously close to babbling, and cut herself off. 

“Are you married? Engaged? Have a boyfriend?” 

Puzzled, Nancy shook her head. “What does that have to…” 

“Then if you’re single, enjoy the ride. Literally,” George smirked. “It’s not like he can give you the answers or anything. Just ignore those jealous bitches and have fun with him.” 

Ned walked in at that moment, effectively ending their conversation. He let his eyes linger on her just a second too long before greeting the rest of the class, and Nancy could feel the glares from the blonde bitches practically burning into her back. 

\-- 

After class wrapped up, Nancy deliberately took her time with gathering her things. George leaned over and whispered in her ear. “Have fun with Mr. Nickerson. I want a full report on Wednesday.” Before Nancy could reply, George got up and left the room. 

Nancy walked out, noticing that the blondes were again surrounding Ned’s desk and trying to engage him in conversation. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw them staring at her, but she kept walking. 

Once she got to the library, Nancy flopped down on one of the small couches in the lobby and checked her phone. She was trying to concentrate on her task and not be anxious about waiting for Ned when she was startled by someone standing above her. “Why, hello there, gorgeous. Fancy meeting you here.” 

She looked up to see Ned there, a big grin on his face. “Well, hello, Nickerson. I thought you’d be too distracted by your other students to meet me,” she replied sweetly. 

Ned rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I thought they’d never let me out of there,” he muttered. “I was pissed because they were taking up precious time that I could be spending with you.” 

Nancy felt a surge of pleasure at his words. “So, ready to go?” she asked, standing up. 

He nodded, giving her a quick kiss before taking her hand and leading her out of the library. They walked to his car and made small talk before pulling up in front of her building. 

“How is it that you always find a space right here, Nickerson? Talk about leading a charmed life,” she teased, placing her hand on the buckle of her seat belt to undo it. “Hope that streak holds out and your car is here again when you leave later.” 

Ned placed a hand on her other arm to stop her. “Hey, is your dad going to be home when we get upstairs?” he asked. 

Nancy turned back to face him. “Um, not sure? I think so? Why?”   
  


“Because, if he is, I won’t get to do this…” He reached out and cupped her face in his hand before giving her a slow, sweet kiss. 

Nancy could feel her pulse rate spike from the pressure of his mouth on hers. She slipped her tongue between his lips and it was like flipping a switch. The kiss grew hotter and deeper; before she knew it, she was unclicking her seat belt and climbing on top of him to straddle his lap. Without removing his lips from hers, Ned pushed a button on the side of the driver’s seat and they began to slide backwards. 

With one hand on her ass, Ned slid the other under the back of her tank top. His hand on her bare skin made her heart pound even faster, and she began scrambling to remove her blazer. After tossing it onto the now-vacated passenger’s seat, she fused her mouth to his again, enjoying how he let his hands roam all over her. 

“Backseat,” he muttered against her mouth. “We’ll have room to stretch out in the backseat.” 

Just as she began climbing off of him to move to the backseat, her ass accidentally leaned against the steering wheel, and the horn began beeping in one loud, continuous sound. 

Ned started to laugh, and after a moment, Nancy joined him. Leaning her forehead against his so that her hair fell in a curtain around them, she enjoyed the closeness with him before reluctantly scooting off of him to sit back in the passenger’s seat. 

“That was really good, Drew,” he told her mischievously, wiping her lip gloss off of his lips with his fingers. 

“Sorry,” she apologized, still chuckling. 

“I’m not,” he replied with a grin. “I have been dying to kiss you like that since I saw you in the classroom tonight. Actually, since I dropped you off last night. I knew that if your dad were home, we wouldn’t get to fool around. And I have to say that I half-expected you to pull away – you always keep me on my toes, Drew. And, I like it.” 

Nancy actually shivered at the husky tone his voice had taken on, and she reluctantly tore herself away from his gaze to put her blazer back on and pull down the car’s sun visor to straighten her hair and check her lipstick. When Ned gave her a quizzical look, she grinned. “We’d better go upstairs, and I want to make sure I don’t like I was just…doing what I was doing when we walk in there.” 

“Good point,” he conceded. “I don’t want your dad to automatically hate me the minute he meets me. Like his daughter did,” he teased. 

“Hey! I didn’t hate you…” Ned threw her an amused glance. “I didn’t! Let’s just say I misunderstood you. Nickerson, you’d better be nice to me – you’re still in your trial period here.” 

“Forgive me – I forgot I was on probation. Wouldn’t want to do anything to mess up during my trial period.” 

“That’s better,” she chuckled. “Now, let’s go inside.” 

Ned came around to her side of the car and opened the door for her, then took her book bag out of the back seat. After she had let them in to her building and they rode the elevator up to her floor, Nancy took a deep breath before inserting her key into the front door of the apartment, unable to decide whether she wanted her father to be home or not. 

“Dad, I’m home!” she called out as she and Ned entered the apartment. After a moment, she heard her father’s footsteps in the narrow hallway as he emerged from his bedroom. 

“Hey, Nan! How was class?” he asked, smiling. Again she was struck by how tired and worn-out her father looked – far too old and weary for a man in his mid-forties. 

“Good – it was good. So, Dad, remember how I told you I was bringing someone home so we could study together? This is Ned – Ned Nickerson. Ned, this is my father, Carson Drew.” 

The two men shook hands, and Nancy nervously watched her father to see how he’d respond to Ned. While he had never been impolite to her other dates or boyfriends, he always told her that they weren’t good enough for her after meeting them. 

“A pleasure to meet you, Ned,” Carson told him. “So, you’re the young man who took my daughter to dinner last night and didn’t pick her up here at the house?” 

“Dad!” Nancy hissed, flushing. _I should’ve known he wouldn’t let that go_ , she thought to herself, dismayed. 

Ned looked embarrassed himself. “I am, sir. I want you to know that I offered – Nancy’s the one who told me she’d meet me at the restaurant. The only reason I didn’t force the issue was that it was hard enough to even get her to agree to go out with me. The next time I take her somewhere, I promise I’ll come here to get her.” 

Carson chuckled, and Nancy felt a sense of relief wash over her. “That sounds like my daughter, all right. So, Ned, what is it that you do?” 

“I’m in my second year of Northwestern Law, sir, with the goal of being a sports attorney.” Nancy belatedly realized that she hadn’t told her father that Ned was actually the instructor of her test prep class, rather than just another student, and prayed that her father wouldn’t remember what she had told him last night. 

“Impressive. That’s Nan’s first choice for law school. Wait - if you’re already in law school, what are you doing in an LSAT prep class?” Carson asked, a puzzled expression on his face. 

She should have known better than to underestimate her father’s powers of deduction. “Well, Ned, maybe we should put our stuff down and start studying,” Nancy said hurriedly, trying to derail the conversation. 

“I’m actually teaching the class, sir,” Ned admitted sheepishly. 

“So you’re not another student, you’re the instructor?” Carson asked in disbelief. He turned to face his daughter. “Nan…” he said warningly. 

“Dad, I know – but look, it’s not cheating, right?” 

“Sir, I know what it must seem like to you, but I assure you – I’ve taught this class several times before, and I have never dated any of my students.” Ned told Carson, looking nervous. “It’s not against the rules, and there’s no way that her dating me will affect her score on the test. I like Nancy a lot, and that’s why I asked her out. I know that she respects your opinion a lot and that the two of you are very close, so I don’t want to do anything to upset you. But, sir, I want you to know that I take her seriously, and that I’m not just taking advantage of the situation.” 

“So, you’re not the one who told her to lie to me about this?” Carson asked, 

“No, sir, I would never,” Ned told him truthfully. 

Nancy jumped in to save him, even though it would make her father angry at her. “He’s telling the truth, Dad – Ned never asked me to lie to you. He’s very honest and straightforward about things.” 

“Sir, I hope this doesn’t affect how you feel about me,” Ned interjected. “As I said, I haven’t had any type of relationship at all whatsoever with any of my other students – this is the first time. I want to spend time with Nancy and get to know her, and I’m glad she brought me here to meet you tonight, since I wasn’t able to do it last night.” 

Carson kept his gaze trained on Ned, as if he were assessing him. “Well, I respect you for being upfront about things.” Nancy tried not to wince as her father gave her a quick glance before turning back to Ned. “So, tell me more about yourself, Ned.” 

\-- 

Twenty minutes later, Nancy and Ned were finally able to escape to her room to begin studying. Nancy kept the door open so her father wouldn’t object. 

“Despite the rocky start, I think that went well, Nickerson,” she told him, sitting cross-legged on her bed. “He’s never talked to any of my dates for that long – and he remembered your college basketball career.” 

“Why didn’t you tell your dad, Nancy?” Ned asked curiously, sitting down on the floor and taking out some notebooks from his messenger bag. 

Nancy shrugged. “Because I knew that he’d disapprove of me dating my teacher,” she admitted. “But he really seemed to like you – and he seemed very impressed by your volunteer work and your post-law school plans.” 

“Well, at least I was able to impress one member of the Drew family,” he teased, reaching out to tug on the ends of her reddish-gold hair. 

“Behave - probationary period, remember?” she joked back. “Now, time to study; otherwise, I won’t let you have any of Hannah’s blackout cake.” 

Ned’s eyes lit up at the sound of that. “All right, then, time to buckle down, Drew.” He pulled out some books from his messenger bag and began to read. 

Two hours later, Nancy stretched from her position on the bed. “I could seriously go for some cake now; how about you?” 

“I thought you’d never ask,” Ned said, groaning slightly as he got up from the floor. 

As they were about to head into the kitchen, Carson stuck his head into her open doorway. “Nan, I’m going to bed – I have an early appointment tomorrow. Ned, it was nice to meet you,” he told the younger man, holding out his hand for Ned to shake. “And I’m looking for you to keep your promise – next time, you’ll pick her up here.” 

Ned grinned, returning the handshake. “Definitely, sir.” 

“Good night, you two. Oh, and by the way, Hannah told me to tell you to call her when you were ready for cake so she can bring it over. You know she’s a night owl, so she said to call anytime. I think her real objective was to keep me away from your dessert so I wouldn’t eat it all. Ned, once you have a taste, you’ll know what I’m talking about.” 

Nancy and Ned both laughed. When Carson left the room, Nancy picked up her cell phone and quickly texted Hannah. She suspected that Hannah’s only motivation wasn’t just to keep her father away from the cake; Hannah was probably looking forward to another chance to talk to Ned. 

“She’s usually up pretty late, but I didn’t want the phone to wake her up, in case she decided to turn in early.” A moment later, her phone made a sound signaling an incoming text. “She says she’ll be over in a minute.” 

Nancy led Ned to the kitchen, where she pulled out glasses, plates, forks, and a knife to slice the cake. He accepted her offer of milk; as she was taking the carton out of the refrigerator, they heard the front door open. 

“Nan?” 

“In the kitchen, Hannah!” Nancy called back as they emerged from the kitchen with the plates, utensils, glasses and milk. 

“Why, hello, Ned – nice to see you again!” Hannah beamed as she held out the plastic cake taker. “I hope you like chocolate!” 

Ned smiled as he took the container from her and placed it on the small table in the dining area. “Nice to see you, too, Mrs. Gruen. And chocolate is my absolute favorite. The idea of having a really great dessert is one of the reasons that I couldn’t wait for tonight.” 

“And I’m sure I can guess the other reason,” Hannah teased, gesturing to Nancy as she began pouring the milk. 

“Hannah!” Nancy exclaimed, flushing lightly. 

“You got me,” Ned chuckled. “I thought about cake maybe five times today, but I thought about Nancy every five minutes.” 

Nancy rolled her eyes, pretending to be unimpressed by his words. Secretly, though, she was thrilled that he had her on his mind about as often as she had thought of him. “Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea; maybe I should keep the two of you apart.” 

“I promise to behave from here on out, honey,” Hannah told her as she lifted the lid of the cake taker and began to cut slices. 

“I make no such promise,” Ned teased back. 

“Hannah, aren’t you joining us?” Nancy asked when she noticed that the older woman had only cut two slices. 

“Oh, no – having cake this close to my bedtime will mean nightmares for me. I just wanted to stop by to say hello – and keep your father away from this cake so you’d actually have some to eat. Ned, I see that you’ve taken your eyes off of Nancy long enough to stare at your plate – go on and try some already.” 

Needing no further prompting, Ned eagerly dug his fork into the chocolate cake on his plate. The growing expression of rapture on his face as he continued chewing amused both Hannah and Nancy. “Mrs. Gruen, this is amazing. I’m not kidding. My mother would kill me if she heard me saying this, but this is the best chocolate cake I have ever had. _Ever._ ” He took another bite and made more sounds of approval. 

Hannah beamed as his compliments. “Well, I’m so glad you like it! Oh, and please call me Hannah – all of my friends do, and I’m sure that you and I will be seeing enough of each other to become fast friends.” 

Ned grinned as he took yet another forkful of cake. “Nancy’ll always be my chief motivation for coming over here, but this would be a close second, Hannah.” 

“Enjoy, and let me know what else you like so I can make it for your next study date – when’s your next class, Nan? Wednesday?” Hannah inquired sweetly. 

Ned chuckled as Nancy made a noise of protest. “And what makes you think I’ll invite him back on Wednesday?” 

“What makes you think he could stay away?” Hannah countered, giving her a wink before walking to the door and closing it behind her. 

Nancy was still shaking her head as Ned cut himself another slice of cake. “So, will you allow me the honor of another study date on Wednesday, Drew?” he asked lightly. “You have to admit that we had a good time tonight, _and_ we both got work done. And I kept my hands to myself, for the most part.” 

“Except for that time in the car, yeah,” she smirked. “Okay, why don’t we come back here again? How do you feel about lemon desserts?” 

“Love them,” Ned promptly replied. “And I’d say the same if you asked me about carrot cake, red velvet, apple, cherry…” 

Nancy tried to hide her grin. “Good to know.” 

“And I’d ask you now if we could go out again on Sunday, but I don’t want to move too quickly, Drew. Just keep it in mind, and don’t accept any other invitations. Can you at least commit to that?” 

Nancy pretended to consider his offer. “I think I can do that, Nickerson.” 

“Good,” he told her, reaching across the table to take her hand. “Now, you’d better finish your cake, or I’ll finish it for you.” 


	7. Chapter 7

The next morning, Nancy tried to leave extra-early for school so she could duck her father, but luck wasn’t on her side. As she quietly headed for the door, shoes and book bag in hand, Carson stuck his head out of the kitchen doorway.

“Nan, is that you?”

 _Damn it_ , she mouthed silently, pausing. Forcing a tone of brightness into her voice, she replied to her father’s question, her back still to him. “Yeah, Dad – I have a bunch of stuff to do before classes today, so I thought I’d head out early…”

Nancy’s hand was on the doorknob when her father appeared behind her. “Sure you don’t want any coffee before you leave?” She turned around to see him holding out a travel mug.

“Great, Dad, thanks!” She flashed him a quick smile and was about to leave again when he placed a hand on her shoulder.

“I know you said you have to run, but I think we need to talk about what happened last night,” he told her sternly.

Nancy tried to feign an innocent expression as she changed the subject. “There’s still some of Hannah’s cake left over – I put it into the refrigerator. If it were up to Ned, there wouldn’t have been a single crumb, but…”

“Speaking of Ned,” Carson cut in, “I still don’t understand why you lied to me about him, Nan. I thought our relationship had a lot more openness than that.”

The look of disappointment on her father’s face made her incredibly sad. “It does, Dad, and I’m sorry.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me the truth?” Carson looked genuinely puzzled.

“Because I didn’t want you to disapprove,” Nancy admitted, looking down at her boots. “I didn’t want you to get the wrong idea.”

“Well, when I heard that Ned was your teacher, I wasn’t thrilled at first. But he made a good point about how you can’t really gain anything from it, so no one can claim you were cheating. And I felt better when he told me that he hasn’t made a habit of dating his students.”

Nancy smiled at that. “Me, too, Dad.”

“You know I don’t often approve of the men you go out with. I don’t think that they’re ever good enough for my girl, and they never treat you the way you deserve to be treated...”   
  
“I warned Ned about that.”

Carson chuckled. “I have to say, though, I liked Ned very much.” Nancy’s grin got wider at his words.

“He’s the first one who has treated you with genuine respect - I think he was just as upset as I was about meeting you at the restaurant on Sunday. And I, for one, respect the fact that he didn’t cave to pressure about becoming a professional ball player – he was that good in his college career, you know. But he didn’t let the money and fame thing lead him astray from what he really wanted. That takes guts, and I find it impressive.”

Nancy felt relieved and happy, all at once, before bringing herself back to reality. _Remember, this thing with Ned won’t be serious, so it doesn’t really matter_ , she told herself firmly. “Well, good, ‘cause I don’t want it to be awkward when he comes back here again on Wednesday night.”

Her father raised his eyebrows, obviously amused. “Seeing him again on Wednesday, are you? That’ll be three dates in four days, Nan – didn’t you tell me things were casual between the two of you?” he teased.

She couldn’t stop the flush from building on her cheeks. “Dad, it’s nothing,” she replied dismissively. “We both have to study, anyway, so he’s just coming over for that.”

“Uh huh, sure,” Carson told her playfully. “Even though I just told you that I like him, I have to admit that Ned makes me a little nervous.”

Surprised, Nancy took a sip from the coffee mug her father had handed to her. “Why’s that, Dad?”

“Because it’s completely obvious to anyone with 20/20 vision that he’s crazy about my little girl. I know, I know,” he said, raising his hand, “you’re a grown woman, but still. None of the other guys you’ve gone out with have ever looked at you the way he does, and it’s just one more sign that you’re grown and will be ready to leave me soon.

When Nancy continued to silently stare at him, clearly astonished at her father’s take on things, Carson smiled again. “Now, get going, honey, or you’ll be late for class. Talk to you later, okay?”

Nancy nodded, still dazed, as she opened the door and walked to the elevator. _It’s nothing, she told herself sternly. Dad is just imagining things. Both he and Hannah are way off-base with this. Don’t make it more than it is._

Despite her misgivings, Nancy couldn’t stop thinking about Ned and their time together the previous evening. Wednesday suddenly seemed a long way off.

\--

After their second study date following Wednesday night’s class (during which he had snuck in a few kisses before her father got home), Ned again asked if he could see her that weekend. Despite her best intentions, Nancy said yes to a date for Sunday night.

He took her to see a movie and they decided on dinner at the Chinese restaurant across the street from the theater. “So, tell me about your last girlfriend,” Nancy said, leaning back in her chair.

Ned paused, his chopsticks halfway to his mouth. He set them down on the edge of his plate, food still captured between the two wooden sticks. “Well, didn’t expect that, Drew,” he murmured.

“You tell me you like how I’m unpredictable,” she shrugged, taking a bite of spring roll.

“True,” he admitted. “Okay, what do you want to know?”

“Name? Age? What she was like? How long were you together? Why did you break up? Who initiated the breakup?”

“Damn, I wasn’t prepared for an inquisition.” Sighing, Ned reached for his bottle of beer and took a long pull. “Okay, let me see if I can do these in the order they were asked.”

As he covered each item, he ticked it off on a finger. “Her name was Kim, she was 24, she was a very sweet woman who was getting her Master’s in early-childhood education, and we broke up because after three months I didn’t feel anything stronger than like. Which answers your last question – I was the one who ended it. Oh, and here’s the answer to the question you didn’t ask – we broke up a year ago.” He picked up his chopsticks and popped a piece of spicy garlic chicken into his mouth.

“Okay,” Nancy said, considering his answers. “And the one before that?”   
  


“Can I ask what brought this on?” Ned asked, puzzled. “Because it kind of came out of the blue.”

“Nothing – just curious,” she said, almost defensively

“The one before that was Tracey. She was 22, a professional musician, nice enough, we were together four months, and the relationship ended because she got an offer for a job in San Francisco. Although, if she had stayed in Chicago, it wouldn’t have lasted much longer because we were two very different people. I think that her leaving gave us an excuse to end it, truth be told. Oh, and she was about six months before Kim. Between them, and then after them, I dated some girls – okay, a lot of girls - but no one seriously. Satisfied?” He took another drink.

Nancy nodded, finishing her spring roll. “Thank you.”

“Okay, now your turn.”

She blinked. “Well…Dan was 26, we were together five months, and he was a finance guy who just didn’t understand why I would spend all of my time studying to get into law school when I was just going to be a low-paid public defender. He was all about money and status. Which tells you why he we broke up – he was a pretentious asshole.”

Ned chuckled. “So, I’m gonna guess that you broke things off.”

“And not a moment too soon,” Nancy replied, shuddering. She took a bite of rice noodles. “We broke up about seven months ago.”

“And the one before that?” Ned parroted her words back to her.

“Steve, also 26, med student, was even more focused on school than I am, if you can believe it. He wasn’t really willing to take time to make things work, which I get because we were both so busy, but he tried to make me feel guilty about it. Every time he’d back out of plans, it was okay; whenever I did it, I wasn’t the one trying hard enough and was a bad girlfriend. We were only together four months, and I’m glad.”

“So, another asshole?” The corner of his mouth quirked up.

“God, yeah,” Nancy sighed, stabbing at a piece of chicken with her chopsticks. “It’s like I was a magnet for them.”

“Before you met me, of course.” Ned used his chopsticks to point at himself, then took another slug of beer.

“Of course,” she replied dryly.

“Hey! I thought we decided that you were warming up to me!” he protested playfully, leaning across the table to steal some of the fried rice from her plate.

Nancy gave him a coy smile. “Maybe.”

“That’s okay, I’ll get you to warm up to me plenty later on,” he told her, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

She flushed. “You think so, huh?”

“I know so.”

They lingered over their meal, and Nancy was nervously anticipating whether he would invite her back to his place afterwards, and whether or not she’d say yes. She remembered how it felt to have him kiss her and touch her, and couldn’t stop the shiver that ran up and down her spine.

“You okay?” She looked up to find Ned grinning at her.

“Yeah, sure. Sorry.”

“It’s okay – I’m sure you’re tired after working this afternoon. Are you too tired to come back to my place for a little bit? I’m not sure if my roommates are there or not…”

“Sure,” she shrugged, trying to sound casual while her heart began pounding.

“We don’t have to do anything you’re not comfortable with,” he reminded her gently.

“I know, and I appreciate that.” She gave him an answering smile.

“Can I ask you something else?”

“Sure?” Nancy replied hesitantly.

“I noticed that your dad, Hannah, and Bess call you ‘Nan’, and I think it’s cute – can I do it, too? Not while we’re in class, of course,” he added hastily.

She found it sweet and charming, how he looked so eager for her to say yes. “Well, I normally reserve that for special people, but I’ll make an exception this time,” she teased.

“Hey!” he pretended to protest. “I’m special!”

“That remains to be seen - trial period,” she reminded him playfully.

“Okay, okay. Now, let me pay the check so we can get out of here, _Nan_.” She hated to admit it, but Nancy felt a delighted tingle at hearing him call her by her nickname.

\--

When they walked into his apartment thirty minutes later, Nancy was half-relieved, half-nervous that his roommates seemed to be out.

“So, what should we do? Movie, TV, video games?”

“Sounds like this could be a perfect time for that Wii battle,” she teased.

Ned chuckled. “The one where I’ll whip you in bowling, you mean?”

“No, the one where I’ll be the one to claim victory,” Nancy corrected him loftily.

“Okay, well, the console’s in my room, so…Why don’t I just move it in here?” he asked hurriedly, detecting her hesitation about being in his bedroom.

Ned was halfway to his room when the front door opened and a tall, lanky, brown-haired man walked in. “Sorry, man, I didn’t know you’d be back yet,” he told Ned hastily. “I can get out of here or make myself scarce…”

“Nah, it’s fine,” Ned said dismissively. “Nancy, this is one of my roommates, Mike O’Shea; Mike, this is Nancy Drew.”

“Ah, the redhead you picked up in your class.” Mike’s eyes were alight with recognition and more than a little amusement. “Nice to meet you, Nancy. And thanks for finally saying yes to my boy, here,” he said, pointing at Ned. “He was all mopey and miserable while you let him hang.”

“That’s enough out of you, O’Shea,” Ned growled, and Nancy was surprised to see that he appeared to be slightly embarrassed.

“So, Nancy, where do you go to school?” Mike asked.

“UIC,” she replied. “I’m in my third year. Ned tells me you’re in dental school?”

“Yep - I’m also at Northwestern. I like to think that Ned copied me – first Emerson, then Northwestern,” he joked. Nancy laughed when Ned made a face at his friend. “Nah, we just lucked out that we were able to go to the same grad school.”

“Nan, did you want anything to drink?” Ned interjected.

“No, thanks, I’m fine.”

“Hey, man, what about me?” Mike teased. “Don’t you care about whether I’m thirsty?”

“Nope,” Ned told him, shaking his head. “I only care about the well-being of the gorgeous redhead. You can get your own drink.”

“Oh, I see how it’s gonna be,” Mike joked back, grinning broadly. “Now that you have your girl here, it’s like I won’t even exist. Got it. I’ll just disappear into my room so you two can have your privacy. Nancy, it was great to meet you,” he nodded at her. “Maybe sometime you and Ned can double with me and my girlfriend Jan, huh?”

“That would be fun,” Nancy told him, surprised when she actually meant it.

“’Night. Hope to see you again, soon. And I’m glad you decided to give Nickerson here a chance – I bust on him every chance I can get, but he’s a really good guy, Nancy. I swear.”

Nancy felt her lips turn up in a gentle grin. “I know he is, Mike,” she said softly.

After Mike had left the room, Ned walked over to Nancy and put his arms around her waist. “Did you mean that?”

“Hmm?” she asked, momentarily distracted by the tender look on his face.

“When you told Mike that you knew I was a good guy – did you really mean it?” He sounded almost hopeful as he asked the question.

“I did,” she told him solemnly. “You are. It’s the reason I keep saying yes to you, even though I know I should be doing just the opposite.”

“Well, if you want to keep saying ‘yes’ to things, my room’s right over there,” Ned teased, nodding his head towards the hallway. He chuckled when Nancy lightly smacked his shoulder. “I know, I know. I said I wouldn’t rush you, and I won’t. Why don’t I get the Wii like I was going to before Mike interrupted us so I can beat you at bowling like we planned?”

Nancy was all at once relieved and disappointed when he pulled away. “Sure, but the plan was for me to win, Nickerson.”

“Yeah, I don’t remember it like that, but okay. Be right back.”

After they had each won one game apiece, Nancy was victorious in their third and final matchup. She suspected that Ned had let her win, the almost too-innocent look on his face adding to her doubts. Exhausted, she flopped onto the couch and took his hand, pulling him down next to her.

“Winner buys ice cream the next time we go out,” Ned informed her, straight-faced.

“Sure, _now_ you tell me,” she teased back. “Knowing your sweet tooth, I would’ve employed a different strategy during that last match.”

“Well, speaking of sweet things…” Ned leaned in and gently captured her mouth with his.

“You are so smooth, you know that?” she murmured against his lips after reluctantly ending the kiss.

“Part of my charm,” he replied before kissing her again.

Slowly moving his body into a reclining position, Ned gently gripped her arms so that she was sprawled out on top of him. His kisses were warm and deep, his tongue slowly drifting over hers in gentle strokes. Sighing, she slid one hand through his hair while using the other one to grip his muscular shoulder. Through his jeans, his erection was firm against her lower belly, and she briefly wondered what he’d do if she began rubbing herself against it.

“Do you want to stop?” he mumbled before slipping his tongue between her lips again.

“What?” she whispered after another particularly deep kiss. It was getting harder and harder to focus on anything except for the feel of his mouth on hers and his strong body underneath her.

Ned pulled his head back to gaze up at her, and Nancy was shocked to find herself trembling from the intensity and desire she saw in his dark eyes. “I asked if you wanted to stop this.” The huskiness in his voice made her even more aroused, which seemed impossible to her, since she already felt like she was burning alive.

“I know we should, but I don’t want to,” she told him, brushing a lock of brown hair from his forehead. “Just a little while longer, okay?”

Nancy had barely finished the sentence when Ned covered her mouth with his once more. She groaned when he suddenly stopped again.

“Are you wearing stickers again?”

Nancy couldn’t stop herself from chuckling at the question. “No, not this time. And I’m guessing that you’re now wondering just what I am wearing under this sweater.”

Ned shrugged, a teasing gleam in his eye. “Well, if you want to show me…”

“Sorry, you’re not that lucky,” she told him. “But a little over-the-shirt is okay… “

Before Nancy knew it, their positions were reversed and she was on her back on the couch, much the same way she had been the night of their first date.

She quickly pressed her flattened palm against his chest as logic and reason clamored in her brain for attention. “Wait – will Mike come out here for anything? Water, a snack…?”

“Not unless he wants to die a slow and painful death before he’s thirty,” Ned replied solemnly as he looked down at her. “He knows that we’re out here and promised to give us privacy, so we’ll be fine.”

“Okay, good,” Nancy sighed, relieved. She craned her neck and kissed him hard before taking one of his hands and cupping it over her clothed breast. _God, you know this is so wrong, but screw it – it feels so good,_ she told herself, resigned. _It’s not like we’re naked, and he’s already promised to stop if…_

Her train of thought was completely derailed when Ned began rubbing his thumb over her nipple as his tongue brushed hers.

“Mmm, are you sure I can’t see what’s underneath?” he whispered.

“Nope, not tonight,” she whispered back. _God, I so want to say yes – ask me one more time and I might!_ she thought.

Ned began kissing down her neck and shoulders, and Nancy bit back a moan when his lips gently closed over her already-erect nipple through the light cotton of her shirt. The flesh between her thighs clenched in time with the motions of his mouth, and Nancy was starting to toy with the idea of removing her shirt and bra so she could feel him against her bare skin. However, she knew that if he got her naked, it would be nearly-impossible to stop until he was buried inside of her and they were both moaning with pleasure. The thought of that, though, got her even hotter.

When he switched sides to lavish attention on her other breast, Nancy sighed loudly, fisting his hair in her hand.

“Good, baby?” he asked, his voice low and gravelly with desire. She could imagine him using that tone to say all kinds of dirty, naughty things to her while he thrust deeply within her, and her clit began pulsing even harder. Just when she found herself seriously tempted to pull him to his bedroom and start ripping his clothes off, she brought herself back to reality.

“Ned, I hate to say this, but we need to stop now,” she told him reluctantly.

His head instantly popping up, Ned quickly climbed off of her and sat back, breathing heavily as he stared down at her. “God, you look so sexy right now. All low-lidded and flushed, your hair spread out behind you…almost like we were…”

Thankfully, he let the rest of the sentence go unsaid, but his voice still had that sexy timbre, making it even more difficult for Nancy to keep her wits about her. She sat up, simultaneously smoothing her hair and her sweater. “I’m sorry I keep doing this to you, but...”

Ned heaved a great sigh. “I know, I know. We’ll stop now. But you can still stay and we can watch TV or something.”

This time, Nancy was the one to sigh. “It’s really late and I need to get home.” She pushed herself into a sitting position and gave him a few more quick kisses before rising from the couch.

Ned also stood and took her hand as he led her to the door. “So, another study date after tomorrow night’s class?”

She smiled at him. “That sounds good. My place again?”

“Well, we can’t really make out there, but there is usually cake, so…” Ned began moving his hands as if he were weighing his options, and chuckled when she swatted at him. “That sounds perfect, Nan. Now, let’s get you home.”

“I can just take a cab on my own,” she protested.

“Look, I made a good impression on your dad, and I’d like to keep it, so I’m taking you home.” When she made a sound of protest, he raised his hand. “By now, you should know better than to argue with me, Nan – I’m very persistent, remember?”

“Okay, fine,” she pretended to grumble. “Maybe, just maybe, we’ll make out a little in the backseat of the cab on the ride back. If you’re good.”

She laughed at how his face lit up at that. “That’s the only good thing about you leaving,” Ned teased. “But since I won’t get to see you tomorrow, you’ll just have to make sure that you give me enough kisses to tide me over.”

“I can do that,” Nancy told him, smiling.


	8. Chapter 8

Nine days later, Nancy was stretched out on her bed, notebooks and textbooks surrounding her as she lay on her back and talked to Ned on her cell phone. They still saw each other after every LSAT class and every Sunday night, but they also talked and texted several times every day. It amazed Nancy, how the sight of a new message or an incoming call from him could make her pulse race every single time.

 

“So,” Ned was saying, “Mike, Howie, and I are having a party at our place next Saturday night…I know you’re working, but I thought you could maybe stop by afterwards to hang out and have a couple of drinks?”

 

“A frat boy party?” Nancy joked.

 

“Yes, exactly, but we’ll try to keep the hazing to a minimum. So, how about it? You can even bring your friend Bess, if you want – there’ll be lots of single guys, and they’ll appreciate a cute blonde.”

 

“Hey, are you saying that you find my friend cute?” Nancy asked, mock anger in her voice.

 

“Yes – I find her cute, but I find _you_ gorgeous, Drew.”

 

Nancy blushed, glad he couldn’t see her. “Good save, Nickerson. Um, yeah, we should be able to make it. I don’t get off work until about 1 am or so - is that too late?”

 

“Nope, it’ll just be getting good by that time. I’m so glad you’ll be there – I get to show you off to my friends.”

 

“Maybe I’ll find a cuter frat boy than you,” she teased warningly.

 

“Not possible, Drew,” he teased back.

 

“Well, I’m sure Bess will make it a point to be there – all I’ll have to tell her is there will be single guys and she’ll say yes faster than you can blink.”

 

They spoke a little while longer and exchanged tender goodbyes, promising to talk again the next morning. Nancy smiled at the picture of him on her cell phone long after they had hung up.

 

\--

 

On the night of the party, Nancy and Bess were eager to have their shifts end so they could change and leave for Ned’s.

 

“So, exactly how many single guys did Ned say would be there?” Bess asked as they finished up their tasks for the evening.

 

Nancy grinned knowingly. “He didn’t specify but said there would be lots.”

 

“Ooh, I’m so glad I brought my new skinny jeans and tank top – they make me look almost as tiny as you, I swear!”

 

“Bess, you will have to beat them off with a stick, I’m sure of it.”

 

They both changed in the employee restroom, and Nancy even let Bess fuss with her hair and makeup a little. Nancy surveyed herself in the long mirror on the back of the bathroom door: the dark-wash jeans were tight but not too tight, the charcoal one-shouldered ruched top fit her perfectly, and the black platform high heels made her legs look even longer than they usually did. A pair of silver hoop earrings and her hair loose and flowing over her shoulders complemented the outfit. Nancy slicked on a coat of peach lip gloss and waited for Bess to finish getting ready.

 

“Come on, let’s go,” Nancy prodded Bess after a few more minutes.

 

“I need to look perfect, Nan,” Bess told her, turning slightly to check out her ass in the mirror. “Not all of us have found our tall, dark, and handsome yet. You need to take pity on me.”

 

“Bess, you look gorgeous. I swear. Can we please go?”

 

Bess raised an eyebrow, amused. “Anxious to see our hottie boyfriend, I see?”

 

Nancy flushed. “He’s not my boyfriend, Bess. We’re just going out.”

 

“ _Really_. So, you talk to him at least twice a day, you text constantly, you get together after every LSAT class, you go out on weekends, you fool around, now he’s introducing you to his friends - and he isn’t your boyfriend?”

 

“We’re just having a good time – there have been no declarations or commitments. “

 

“Uh huh. And how long do you think you can continue like this?”

 

“I don’t know, Bess,” Nancy sighed exasperatedly. “I haven’t exactly asked him.”

 

“Well, maybe you should. Maybe you should tell him it’s time to DTR.” When Nancy gave her a blank look, Bess smirked. “How can you be so smart, yet so uneducated about stuff this? DTR – ‘Define the Relationship’?”

 

Nancy rolled her eyes. “I don’t want to DTR. I like things the way they are.” She leaned in, pretending to check her eye makeup in the mirror over the sink to give her something to do.

 

“Uh huh. So, if you just continue like this, with no definition or commitment, you’d be totally cool with him asking out some other girl or hooking up with someone else?”  
  
Nancy whipped her head around, fixing Bess with a glare. “Why? Are you going to hit on him tonight?” She was shocked at the hostility in her voice.

 

“Calm down there, Nan,” Bess said mildly. “I follow the Girlfriends’ Code – thou shall not hit on thy best friend’s man. But just because I do, doesn’t mean that other girls wouldn’t love to get their claws – and various other body parts – into him. This is why you need to get some kind of a definition about what’s going on between the two of you. Right now, he’s free to see or hook up with anyone he wants. And, judging by your reaction just now, I don’t think you like the idea of another girl going after your guy.”

 

Nancy flushed. “I’m sorry for being such a bitch to you, Bess. And, you’re right. I’m just nervous about asking him. Like, what if he’s not on the same page as I am? What if he really is seeing other women when we’re not together? And, if we do decide to be ‘boyfriend and girlfriend’,” Nancy continued, curling her fingers into air quotes,  “then my whole plan to stay focused on school and work is definitely out the window.”

 

“Okay, first things first. That man calls and texts you every day, multiple times a day. I doubt he even has time to see anyone else, or that he even wants to. And second, school is important, sure, but how often does a guy like this come along? I’ll tell you – _never_ ,” Bess finished, answering her own question.  “So, let’s go have fun at your _boyfriend’s_ party and you can ask him tomorrow if he’d like to go steady!”

 

Nancy giggled. “And then should I ask him if he wants to listen to records on the jukebox while we sip malteds at the drugstore?”

 

“Smartass. Let’s go – you’re wasting time that I could be spending drinking and flirting with hot guys.”

 

\--

 

They arrived at Ned’s place 30 minutes after leaving the restaurant, and Bess was suitably impressed by both the neighborhood and the building. After Bess complained about walking up the stairs in her ridiculously high heels, they took the elevator up to the third floor. Nancy could hear the music and chatter through the front door as she rang the bell to Ned’s apartment.

 

A tall African-American guy in his mid-twenties answered the door, a bottle of beer in one hand. “Hey, ladies. Do we know you? If not, you’re still welcome to come in.”

 

“Nah, we just heard the music and thought we’d knock,” Nancy joked back. “I’m Nancy, Ned’s…friend, and this is my friend Bess.”

 

“Ahhh, so you’re the famous Nancy I keep hearing about.” The man beamed at her, and Nancy flushed, happy to know that Ned was talking to his friends about her. Bess gave her a not-so-subtle poke in the ribs. “I should’ve guessed – he said you were a gorgeous redhead, and he was right. I’m Howie, by the way. Come on in.”

 

Nancy smiled as she and Bess walked into the apartment.  “I thought I recognized you from his pictures. Nice to meet you,” she told him, extending her hand.

 

Howie shook it, then offered to take their bags. “I’ll put them in Ned’s room and let him know you’re here. Can I get you something to drink?”

 

“Um, what do you have?” Bess asked, after shaking Howie’s hand.

 

“We have just about everything: beer, wine, punch, stuff for mixed drinks…”

 

Bess was about to place her order when Ned came up behind Nancy and placed his hands on her shoulders. Nancy shivered with delight at the feel of his hand on her bare skin, and then giggled when he buried his face in the crook of her neck. “You smell delicious, gorgeous. Welcome – I missed you,” he whispered into her ear.

 

Nancy blushed and turned around in his arms, amused that he seemed to be happily buzzed. “Hi,” she whispered back, thrilled when he slipped his arms around her waist and drew her in for a kiss. She could faintly taste the alcohol on his lips and tongue.

 

“Um, you have a room, Nickerson - you may want to use it,” Nancy heard Howie tease them from behind her.

 

“Nah, we’ll behave,” Ned told him, releasing Nancy with a look of reluctance. He slung an arm around her waist.  “For now, anyway,” he amended. “Hey, Bess. Nice to see you again,” he nodded at her. “Howie, these ladies seem to be without beverages. How could you let that happen, man?”

 

“I was just asking them what they wanted when you came over and put your hands all over your girl,” Howie replied.

 

A few minutes later, red plastic tumblers of Jungle Juice in their hands, Nancy and Bess were introduced to a few more of Ned’s close friends from college - Parker, Jerry, and Maury. “So, this is her, huh?” Jerry asked, nudging Ned’s arm. “Just like you said.”

 

Nancy turned to Ned, a mock scowl on her face. “Just _what_ are you telling people about me, Nickerson?”

 

“Just the truth - that you’re a smart, funny, smokin’ hot redhead,” he replied, dropping a light kiss on the tip of her nose.

 

“Oh, is that all?” Nancy teased. “Well, it’s nice to meet all of you.”  
  


Bess gave Parker a flirtatious look. “Yes, definitely nice to meet you,” she purred. Nancy was amused to see Parker give her friend a huge, almost-dopey grin in response. It appeared that yet another guy had instantly been taken in by Bess’s curvy body, beautiful face, and bubbly disposition.

 

Ned took her around to meet some of his other friends from college, law school, and his mentoring program, and Nancy felt a little glow each time he called her beautiful or said some other nice thing about her in his introduction.

 

She couldn’t help but notice, though, that some of the women were a little less than thrilled to meet her. Their blatant attempts at flirting with him made her think that they had made previous attempts to get Ned’s attention, and they weren’t happy when he again ignored their advances.

 

Nancy also suspected that he had slept with one or two of the girls that just happened to come over and say hello – their cooing and overly-friendly pats to his arm and back were a dead giveaway that they’d be happy to get a chance to repeat the experience. Ned was politely cordial, not taking the bait – he just tightened his grip around her waist and gently steered her away as soon as he could.

 

Two hours later and several cups of Jungle Juice later, Nancy was contentedly sitting on Ned’s lap on the sofa, her arm slung around his neck, her fingers absently toying with his dark hair. After the people they had been talking to got up to leave, Ned nuzzled at her neck. “I’m so glad you came tonight, Drew.”

 

“I’m glad I did, too, Nickerson,” she replied, leaning down to press her lips to his. He twisted his hands into her hair and pulled her in for a deeper kiss, and despite the noise of the party, Nancy forgot where they were and who they were with.

 

“Do you think they’re gonna do this all night?” she dimly heard Bess giggle from somewhere behind her.

 

“Probably,” Parker chuckled. “They look like they could keep going.”

 

Nancy reluctantly broke the kiss. “We can totally hear you, you guys,” she replied, using her fingers to wipe the remnants of her lip gloss from Ned’s mouth before turning around to face their friends.

 

“Look, Nan, we’re gonna get out of here,” Bess told her, her hand linked with Parker’s. “Are you okay to get home, or were you going to stay here…?”

 

Even though Nancy was feeling more than a little drunk from both the alcohol and Ned’s kisses, she was nervous at the idea of staying over. “Um, I don’t know?”

 

Ned leaned forward over her legs. “She’s staying here, Bess. I’m not letting her go out by herself at this time of night, I’m way too drunk to go anywhere - even in a cab - and so is she. Night, Bess, Parker – you guys be careful, okay?”

 

Nancy knew she should protest but right at that moment, she couldn’t think of a single reason why.

  
Bess leaned down to whisper loudly into Nancy’s ear. “Call me tomorrow and tell me everything. And I do mean **_everything_**. “

 

Nancy smirked. “Same goes for you.” She kissed Bess goodbye and waved at Parker as they walked out the door.

 

There were still about 20 people gathered around the apartment, drinking and playing video games. “It’s been nice hanging out with my friends, but I think I’m ready for bed,” Ned murmured into her ear. “How about you?”

 

She shivered at the feel of his lips against her ear. “Nickerson, I…”

 

“Look, it’s okay – if you want me to sleep on the floor, I will. But it would be really nice for us to share my bed.” He gave her a grin and Nancy could feel her blood pressure rise at the thought of it.

 

“If we do, it doesn’t mean that we’re hooking up tonight,” she warned him.

 

“I know,” he sighed. “But we can sleep together in the literal sense. Come on.” He gently helped her to stand and then rose from the couch. “’Night, everyone!” he called out as to he led her to his bedroom. Nancy flushed at the catcalls and whistles that followed them out of the room.

 

When they got to his room, Ned closed the door behind them. “Um, you probably want to change, right? Because you look hot in those jeans, but they probably aren’t comfortable.” She nodded. “Let me find a shirt for you to wear.” He dug in one of his dresser drawers and took out a well-worn, faded navy blue Emerson t-shirt. “You can have this, or I can give you a button down.”

 

Nancy hesitated. She was wearing a very uncomfortable strapless bra, and wearing the t-shirt would prevent her from taking it off for fear that her nipples would poke through the soft cotton. However, she was feeling warm, and thought she’d be too sweaty in the long-sleeved shirt.

 

“Sorry to ask the tough questions, Drew,” he teased lightly.

 

She giggled. “Sorry. I’ll take the t-shirt. And, just how many other girls have worn this shirt, anyway?” she asked, taking it from his outstretched hand.

 

Ned stuck out his tongue at her. “None, I’ll have you know. This is one of my favorites, and I don’t just go around lending it out. You should feel special, Drew.”

 

“Sure, sure,” she joked. “I’ll bet you say that to all of the girls.”

 

He moved in close to her. “No one has worn this shirt except for me, Nan. You should not take this offer lightly.”

 

“Then why are you letting _me_?” She couldn’t resist asking.

 

“Because I’m dying to know what you look like in it,” he growled. “I have had very specific dreams about you wearing it and nothing else while you’re in my bed.”

 

“Wow, that’s a little weird,” she teased. “Most guys would go to lingerie or naked, but you fantasize about a college t-shirt. That’s kinda kinky, Nickerson.”

 

Ned gave her a smirk. “Oh, you have no idea, baby. The t-shirt dream is just one of many that I’ve had about you.”

 

Nancy didn’t want to let herself think about that. “Well, at least I can make this one come true,” she told him lightly.  “Um, how bad do you think the bathroom is? Do you think I can go in there to change and brush my teeth without encountering the unpleasant body fluids of others?”

 

“Not sure,” he shrugged. “Let me go check - be right back.” Nancy sat on the edge of his bed while she waited.

 

Ned returned a few minutes later. “Bathroom was fine – you can go use it. I’ll change in here. My toothpaste is on the right side of the medicine cabinet, in case you want to use it – it’s the Colgate. I just brushed.”

 

Nancy stood up and headed to the bathroom, where she quickly took off her shirt and bra and slipped on Ned’s t-shirt, enjoying the fact that his scent lingered on it. She kept on her jeans so she wouldn’t be totally exposed on the walk back to the bedroom. Hurriedly brushing her teeth with her finger and washing her face with his soap, she stared at herself in the mirror over the sink. _Don’t do this,_ her inner voice told her. _You know damn well you should put your clothes back on and get out of here._

She sighed, debating what to do. Against her better judgment, she gathered up her clothes and walked back across the hall to Ned’s bedroom, knocking lightly on the door.  When he called for her to come in, she twisted the knob and entered the room, finding him under his covers. She tried to ignore how her body was already responding to the sight of his tanned, muscular bare chest and arms, and put her fingers to her lips to make sure she wasn’t drooling. “You okay, babe?”

 

Nancy nodded, setting her clothing on a chair in the corner of his room. Stepping out of her shoes, she hesitated before unbuttoning her jeans and sliding them down her legs, aware of Ned’s eyes on her every movement. She felt self-conscious as she walked to the bed and he pulled back the covers for her.

 

“Uh, you are wearing something under there, right?” she asked nervously. Ned chuckled and threw back the covers all the way to show that he was clad in a pair of dark green boxers. Relaxing somewhat, Nancy slid into bed beside him onto her back.

 

Ned gently pulled the blanket over her and slid over so that he was on his side facing her. He placed his palm on her stomach, and Nancy could feel it burning her skin, even through the fabric of his shirt. She was already anticipating his kiss as he leaned down and placed his lips onto hers. Nancy reached up and ran her fingers through his dark hair as they continued kissing.

 

Suddenly, Ned broke away. “Where did you tell your dad you’d be tonight?”

 

Nancy was amused. “We’re half-dressed and making out in your bed and you’re bringing up my dad? That is so sexy, Nickerson.”

 

Ned lightly swatted at her.” Funny, Drew. I just don’t want him to worry and come looking for you. I had a horrible vision of him bursting in here and catching us like this and then using his public defender’s powers to get bad guys to come and have me killed.”

 

“He only uses his public defender’s powers for good and not evil, Ned. I told him I’d be at Bess’s, so you don’t have to worry. But, I do need to get up pretty early so I can go home and change before my brunch shift at 312 Chicago.”

 

“I don’t like the idea of having to let you go in a few hours, but I’ll set my alarm.” Ned sat up and reached for his cell phone on his nightstand; after putting on the alarm, he switched off the bedside lamp, putting the room into total darkness except for the faint slivers of light coming through the blinds on his windows from the streetlamps outside.

 

When he moved onto his side and gathered her into his arms, Nancy sighed contentedly. They resumed kissing and she could feel her heart beating even faster when he ran his hand down her back. Ned gripped her thigh and pulled it to him so that it was draped over his boxer-clad hip. The feel of being slightly open to him like that as she felt his erection against her front should have made her pull away, but instead, she threw her leg even higher over his hip to bring him closer.

 

Later, Nancy would swear that it was the combination of the drinks, her exhaustion and his nearness that brought down her defenses and her better judgment. She reached down for the hem of his shirt and pulled it up and over her head, throwing it over the side of the bed, leaving her only in a lace thong.  They both groaned when their bare chests brushed against each other.

 

Ned shifted, rolling her onto her back and settling on top of her. She slid her arms over his shoulders and one hand reached up to grip his dark, wavy hair as their tongues slid in and out of each other’s mouths. Nancy bent her knees and then wrapped her legs around his waist, arching her hips into his.

 

Ned pulled his mouth away from hers, and she cried out in protest. Until he let his mouth drift down to linger on her neck and then at her breast – by that time, Nancy was squirming with desire and anticipation. When he licked and sucked her nipples, she thought she was going to spontaneously combust from the heat he was generating inside of her body. Nancy tried to suppress her moans of pleasure in case there were still people in the apartment, but she couldn’t hold back when he gently bit down on one nipple while caressing the other one with the pads of his fingers.

 

“You taste so good, Nan,” he murmured against her skin. “Makes me wonder what you taste like elsewhere.”

 

His words and the thought of him going down on her made her even more aroused. She reached for the lace that was at her hips and began to peel her panties down her legs, no longer caring about what was smart and safe. He shifted so that she could push them all the way down and they both groaned loudly when his fingertips brushed against the curls at the join of her legs.

 

Ned pushed her knees apart and brushed one finger against the damp flesh between her thighs. He slid his tongue into her mouth at the same time that he pushed two more fingers inside of her.  Their gasps were loud as he continued to explore her with his mouth and fingers.

 

“God, so wet and tight,” Ned muttered against her lips. “You feel amazing around my fingers, baby; I can only imagine what it would be like to feel you around my…”

 

Those were the words that brought her back to reality. _Too far_ , she screamed to herself. _You have gone entirely too far tonight._ Nancy firmly pushed back against his shoulders. “Stop. You have to stop.”

 

Ned removed his fingers and sat back on his haunches, breathing heavily as he stared at her. “Nan, I…I’m sorry.”

 

“No, it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have taken off the shirt and my panties. I was leading you on – a cock tease of the worst kind.”

 

“Not the _worst_ kind, but…”  He leaned forward and gave her a gentle kiss. “I can wait, really. But stop tempting me, okay? At least tonight, anyway.”

 

Nancy nodded, embarrassed. “I’m sorry.”

 

Ned stood up and threw on a robe. “I’ll be right back.”

 

“Where are you going?” she asked.

 

He grimaced and pointed down at his shorts. “I’m sorry…I have to…”

 

She flushed, glad he couldn’t see her face in the darkness. “It’s okay. Go.”

 

Once he left, Nancy sat up and felt around for her discarded thong on the bed; when she found it, she stood up and wiggled back into the panties.  She then searched for his shirt and pulled it back on before getting back into bed.

 

Ned returned a few minutes later, and she could see that the front of his robe was now flat. “Better now?” she asked gently.

 

“Yeah,” he sighed. “It would’ve been more fun if you would’ve taken care of it, but…” He stripped off the robe and climbed back into bed.

 

“I’m sorry, Ned.”

 

“Don’t be, sweetheart.” He leaned over and gave her a kiss before tugging at the hem of her shirt again. “If I promise to behave myself, can you leave that off?” he asked huskily. “I kinda like it when we’re both shirtless.”

 

Nancy knew it wasn’t a good idea, but was unable to resist. “Okay, but if I’m out of my panties again, it will be _your_ fault. And, how is it that whenever we’re completely alone together for more than 5 minutes, one or both of us has half of their clothes off?”

 

Ned gathered her to him and buried his face in her hair, chuckling. “Because we seem to have this animal attraction to each other that neither of us is strong enough to resist?”

 

“I knew there had to be a reason,” Nancy murmured against his chest. All of a sudden, she was exhausted. Enjoying the feel of his arms around her and his lips against her hair, Nancy fell asleep a few minutes later.

 


	9. Chapter 9

The next morning, Nancy reluctantly got out of bed when Ned’s cell phone alarm went off. She felt tired, more than a little hungover - and, truth be told, extremely comfortable in Ned’s arms. The temptation to call out sick from her job was strong, but Nancy kept her self-control and left Ned’s apartment after about twenty goodbye kisses and a confirmation that they’d still be getting together that night for a movie and dinner. 

Nancy went back home to change; just when she thought she’d be able to sneak in without Hannah noticing, the door across the hallway opened up. “Good morning, Nancy. Late night?” 

Nancy whirled around, trying not to blush. “Good morning, Hannah. Yeah, Bess and I went to a party at Ned’s last night, and I stayed over at her place ‘cause it was so late.” 

“Uh huh,” Hannah replied, sounding amused. “You slept at Bess’s. Not your boyfriend’s.” 

Nancy could feel herself turning pink, despite her best attempts. “Why does everyone keep calling him my boyfriend?” 

“Because he is; now, stop changing the subject. I’m not your father, Nancy. Tell me, did you have a nice night staying at Ned’s place?” 

“I…It…Okay, fine,” Nancy relented. She walked closer to Hannah in case her father was within hearing distance of her own door. “I stayed at Ned’s. But nothing happened,” she added hastily. “Well, nothing much.” 

“You are a grown woman, Nancy. If you want to stay overnight with a man, that’s your right, honey. Now, when you say nothing much happened…” 

Nancy sighed. “We just fooled around a little. I was the one who stopped things because I can’t get that serious with him.” 

Hannah raised her eyebrows. “And what you have with him isn’t already serious? You see and/or talk to each other every day, you’re always texting, and you’re dating exclusively. That sounds serious to me.” 

“Did Bess put you up to this?” Nancy asked in mock outrage. “She said the exact same stuff to me last night. But that’s the thing – I don’t know that we are dating exclusively.” 

“Why, do you think he’s seeing someone else?” Hannah asked in surprise. “Because the way he looks at you…Nancy, he’s crazy about you. I’d be shocked if that were true.” 

“But at his party last night, there were all of these girls flirting with him, and…I don’t know, maybe he is seeing other women. I mean, I don’t have a lot of free time for him, and I’m not putting out… He’s gorgeous and amazing – how long is he gonna put up with my shi…stuff?” 

“Like I said, he’s crazy about you, Nan, so he’ll wait. Just don’t make him wait too long – you’re both grown adults, so there’s no reason for you to hold back, as long as you practice safe sex.” 

Hannah laughed when Nancy flushed again. “Right now you’re making things work, right? You’re still working both jobs, your grades are still great, you still study a lot…and you have a great guy in your life.” 

“I know, but…” 

“You’re seeing him again tonight, right?” When Nancy nodded, Hannah continued. “Then why don’t you ask him, point-blank, if he’s seeing other women. He seems like a very honest guy, so I’m sure he’ll be straightforward with his answer. Ask him.” 

“But…I…” 

“Ask him,” Hannah repeated. “Oh, and by the way, I’m going to dinner and a movie with my book club friends tonight, and I won’t be back until _very late_. I also happen to have baked a cheesecake brownie this morning. Maybe you and Ned would want to come back here after your date and have some dessert?” She gave Nancy a wink before going back into her apartment and closing her door. 

\-- 

During her shift, Nancy could barely concentrate on her job and performed her waitressing duties on remote. When she got home, she was supposed to study before getting ready for her date with Ned, but her thoughts kept turning back to their relationship. “See, this is why you didn’t want the complication of a relationship at all,” she told herself aloud as she read the same paragraph in her textbook for the fifth time. “Look what’s happening to you.” 

After a while, Nancy abandoned her books and began getting dressed. She stared at the contents of her closet for a while before selecting a pair of dark skinny jeans, a close-fitting ombré-dyed peach sweater and her brown flat boots. _Casual, but not slobby_ , she told herself. Plus, it gave her a pleasant tingle to think about how later on that night Ned would likely drop kisses in the triangle of skin that her v-neck exposed. If she let him, that was. 

\-- 

After the movie, they decided on a cozy, unpretentious Italian restaurant. The exposed brick and hardwood floors of the tiny restaurant made it feel almost homey, and the aromas of garlic and tomato made Nancy’s stomach growl. 

Once they had ordered wine and appetizers, Ned spoke. “Hey, are you all right, Nan?” 

Nancy looked up in surprise. “Yeah - why?” 

“Because you seem kinda…I don’t know, off. Quiet. Too quiet. Wanna tell me what you’re thinking? Is it about what happened between us last night?” He reached across the table and took her hand. 

The openness and genuine curiosity in his expression made Nancy open up. The words had been on the tip of her tongue all night and now she couldn’t hold them back any longer. “Yes and no. Ned, I hate being this kind of girl, but…what are we doing?” 

Ned looked puzzled. “Um, holding hands while we wait for our appetizers? What do you mean, Nan?” 

She sighed. “I mean, this thing between us. What does it mean? Are we exclusive, are we just having fun, what?” 

Recognition suddenly dawned on Ned’s face, and he grinned. “Ahhh. Well, if you ask me, I’d say we were in a relationship – I’d even dare to venture to call us boyfriend and girlfriend. I mean, I can’t speak for you, of course, but I’m not seeing anyone else, I haven’t been since that first night we met, and I don’t want to, either.” 

Relief coursed through Nancy’s veins. “I’m not – I haven’t been. The only person I’m seeing is you.” Ned’s relieved expression mirrored her own, but she couldn’t afford to assume anything. “Did you want to change that? Were you interested in seeing other people, or…?” 

Ned squeezed her hand. “I am not interested in anyone else but you, Nancy Drew. The only reason I haven’t officially asked you to be exclusive is because I didn’t want to freak you out. But that’s how I think of you – as my girlfriend. Is that okay, or are you going to yell at me and give me a hard time, like you usually do?” 

Nancy felt warm and tingly. “It’s okay - it’s more than okay.” 

“Really?” His smile was so warm and sweet that she felt like her heart was about to burst in her chest. 

She nodded. “I like being your girlfriend,” she told him, almost shyly. “And I’m sorry again about last night. It felt really good to be with you like that, but with all of the drinks and stuff, I felt like I wasn’t in control.” 

“I totally understand.” Ned gave her hand another squeeze. “And when we finally do have sex,” he told her in a low voice, “I want you to be fully present and fully willing.” 

Nancy’s heart had been pounding; now, she felt like it had almost stopped. “That sounds really good,” she whispered. 

The waitress came over and set their appetizer platter in the middle of their table. “Okay, so now that we’ve DTRed, can we eat?” Ned asked once she had left. 

She laughed. “You’ve heard that phrase, too - am I the only one who hasn’t? Was someone giving out dictionaries with the cool new lingo the kids are using, and I missed the line?” 

He chuckled. “I hang out with teenagers on Saturdays, remember?” 

\-- 

After dinner, Nancy drained the last of the wine in her glass and just stared at Ned across the table. His dark hair was slightly mussed, and he looked completely relaxed as he sat back in his chair, his fingers idly tapping against the base of his wine glass and his other hand splayed across his denim-clad thigh. He was so handsome that she couldn’t believe he was sitting there with her. 

“What? Is there something wrong, Nan?” 

She shook her head, feeling her stomach flutter as she prepared herself to ask her next question. “Dad’s home tonight, but Hannah told me that she’s going to be out late and that she made a cheesecake brownie. I don’t suppose you’d be interested in going back to her place?” 

Ned beamed at her. “Dessert and some time alone with you? I could handle that.” 

When they got back to her building, Nancy fished in her purse for her keys to Hannah’s place and let Ned inside. “Smells so good in here,” he commented, sniffing the air appreciatively. 

“Yeah, it always smells like a bakery at Hannah’s. I suspect that she made more than brownies today,” Nancy replied, flipping on the lights. Sure enough, there was a note scribbled in Hannah’s handwriting on the center of the small butcher-block kitchen table. 

_Nan,_

_I was in a baking mood and thought you and Ned may also enjoy some apple pie squares along with the brownie. I just bought ice cream, too._

_Won’t be back until very late, so have fun!_

_Love,_

_H_

“Brownie cheesecake _and_ apple pie squares _and_ ice cream? I have hit the jackpot,” Ned said rapturously. Nancy gave him an amused glance. “Oh, and access to an empty apartment with a gorgeous, sexy redhead is a plus, too.” 

She walked over to him and threw her arms around his shoulders, a grin on her face. “Gee, thanks,” she told him wryly. “Nice to know I come in second.” 

“You, are always first with me, my girlfriend,” he told her lightly, kissing her nose before finding her lips. 

“So smooth, and so full of shit,” Nancy teased before kissing him back. She couldn’t deny that it was thrilling to hear him call her his girlfriend, though. 

“Let me show you that I’m speaking the truth,” he murmured against her lips. He led her backwards to the couch, where he reversed their positions to sit down and straddle her across his lap. They began kissing more passionately and Nancy slid her hands under his shirt to run them across the firm, muscular planes of his back. 

“Mmm, I’ve been waiting all night to do this,” Ned whispered. “I saw that sexy, tight sweater, and all I wanted to do was get my mouth on you, right…here…” He began running his tongue around the edges of her v-neck sweater, and Nancy shivered, even though she was burning from the feel of his mouth on her bare skin. 

“You could probably reach better, though, if I took this off,” she whispered back, reaching for the hem of her sweater and pulling it over her head in one fluid motion. 

“Oh, yeah, much better,” he told her, a gleam in his eye as he caught sight of her lacy peach-colored bra. 

When Ned dipped his head lower to brush his lips over her lace-clad breast, Nancy let out a low moan of satisfaction and reached out to pull his sweater up and off. She pressed her chest to his, savoring the feel of hard muscle against the lacy cups of her bra as she kissed him passionately. 

Ned began teasing her already-erect nipple through her bra with the pads of his fingertips, and she deepened the pressure of her tongue against his. When he began to reach around to the clasp at her back, she froze instantly. 

“Too far?” he whispered against her lips. 

She hesitated one more second before shaking her head. Ned undid the fasteners and slowly drew the straps down her arms. “Mmm,” he murmured. “I could feel them last night but I couldn’t see. So beautiful.” 

Nancy blushed lightly at the reverent look on his face as he traced her firm pink nipples with his fingers. She bowed her head and just watched him touch her, feeling the muscles at her core clench at the feel of his hands on her bare breasts. When he started planting gentle kisses against the inner curves, she moaned lightly; when he fastened his lips around one tight bud, she tilted her head back and moaned louder. 

She unconsciously started to rock her hips against his, all but grinding against him as he continued to suckle at her. Fisting her hand in his dark hair with one hand, she used the other one to place her palm flat against the crotch of his jeans, enjoying the feel of his erection beneath her hand. 

Ned groaned loudly against her breast. “Babe, I hate myself for saying this, but it’s not a good idea for you to do that.” 

“Why?” she moaned. “Do you not like me touching you?” 

“Um, I absolutely love it, which is why it’s not a good idea. As it is, it’s taking all of my self-control not to unzip and…” 

Nancy was glad he didn’t finish the sentence. “Then maybe we should just stop now.” _Stop now, because you know damn well you won’t be able to in about two more minutes,_ she reminded herself. 

He sighed reluctantly but gently pushed her off of his lap. “Okay, so, if I can’t have you, I seem to remember mention of brownies and apple pie squares…” 

She chuckled. “Dessert it is, then. “ Nancy quickly fastened her bra and slipped her sweater over her head, noting Ned’s look of disappointment as she dressed. Rising from the sofa, she reached out her hand for him to hold onto as he stood. She led him to Hannah’s small kitchen area and took out the desserts, ice cream, plates and utensils. 

“Coffee?” 

Ned shook his head as he took a seat at the table then suddenly rose again. “Milk is fine, but can I help you with setting the table and stuff?” When she shook her head firmly, he sat again. “Well, then - thank you, honey.” He flashed her quick grin that made her heart flip-flop. 

Nancy loved hearing the endearment on his lips: she wore a smile as she walked back to the refrigerator and took out the carton of milk and a few glasses from one of the cabinets. 

When she returned to the table, Ned took her hand and pulled her down so that he could plant a quick kiss onto her lips. 

“What was that for?” she asked, happily surprised. 

“Just because,” he smiled, not releasing her hand as she sat in the chair opposite his. 

As she cut the desserts and dished out the ice cream, Ned poured the milk into the glasses. They sat for a few minutes in comfortable silence as they enjoyed the treats from Hannah. 

Once they were finished, Ned reached across the table for her hand, stroking his thumb across her palm. “So, there’s something I want to ask you, Drew. Two things, really. ” 

Nancy could barely concentrate when he was touching her, but she forced herself to pay attention. “And why didn’t you ask me these two things when we were at the restaurant, Nickerson?” 

He chuckled. “Because I was scared you’d run out on me.” 

She raised her eyebrows. “Uh oh. Well, go ahead – ask away.” 

“The mentoring program I’m involved with is having a silent auction and dinner dance – it’s to raise funds for their program. The event’s the Sunday evening after next, and I would like you to come with me.” 

“Really?” she smiled, relaxing. 

“Really. I thought I could show you off to the people I work with in the program, and you could meet the kids I mentor. Plus, it’s a fancy event at a ritzy hotel, and you’d have to wear some sexy little dress…” 

She laughed. “I’d have to, huh?” 

Ned nodded solemnly. “It would be a requirement.” 

“Oh, well, then - if it’s a requirement…Seriously, though, I’d love to go, and I’ll see what I can do about the sexy little dress. Now, what was the second thing you wanted to ask?” 

“Well, my cousin Laurel is getting married in a month, and I wanted to know if you would be my date.” 

Nancy looked up at him in surprise. “Your date to the wedding?” 

“That’s how I was envisioning it would work, yes. My family’ll all be there, and they are **_very_** curious about you, so I’ll warn you now that you may feel like you’re on display. Are you up to the challenge?” 

“I am,” she replied slowly. “Meeting a guy’s family is kind of a big deal, though.” 

“I know,” he acknowledged, dipping his head slightly. “But I’ve met your dad and Hannah, so I thought it was time to introduce you to my parents. Oh, and there’s one more thing…” 

“What’s that?” 

“The wedding’s in New York City. My cousin and her fiancée Evan live there, so that’s where they wanted to get married. I thought I’d ask you now so you could request the time off from work – I’m putting my request in early.” 

Nancy’s thoughts were racing. The cost, the idea of meeting his relatives, the sleeping arrangements… 

“What are you thinking?” Ned asked, gently nudging her knuckles with his thumb. “You’re very quiet.” 

“Well, it’s really sweet that you’ve invited me, but I can’t afford it, Ned.” She shook her head, genuinely regretful that she had to turn him down. “The plane ticket, the hotel room… I just can’t swing it. I’m sorry.” 

“I thought you’d say that. Which is why I want to pay for your ticket.” 

Her head jerked up at that. “No, Nickerson. I’m not your fucking charity case. You already pay for enough shit now, as it is.” 

“Okay, we’ve already been over this before, but I’ll say it again – I pay for stuff when we go out because I _always_ pay when I take a woman on dates. That’s just the way I am – deal with it, Drew.” 

His voice was tight as he continued. “And the plane ticket? Not a big deal at all. I want you to be there as my date – I want to spend time with you, have a nice weekend with you. It has nothing to do with charity. Oh, and before you ask, the offer doesn’t come with any strings: you don’t have to put out just because I’m paying for the ticket.” He sat back in his chair, arms folded. 

“Well, this is a switch - pissed at me, are you?” Nancy asked, somewhat surprised. 

“A little, yeah,” he admitted, and she could tell that he was trying to stop the edges of his mouth from curving up into a grin. 

“You just have to understand what it feels like for me, Nickerson. Every time we do something, I feel bad that you have to pay for me.” 

“And it doesn’t bother me at all, Nan, so you shouldn’t feel bad. I’ve told you a thousand times that I love spending time with you. It makes me happy to go places and do things with you, so why shouldn’t I spend my money on that? 

“And I’m just as happy when we hang out at your place and watch TV or eat a nice meal that Hannah made, or when we fool around on the couch. Or on my bed. Or in my car.” His grin was wider now. “I especially like that, and it doesn’t cost anything.” 

“Ned…” Nancy sighed, trying to stall before giving him an answer. 

“Nancy,” he replied, again taking her hands into his. 

“If I did say yes, and it’s still an _if_ …What would the sleeping arrangements be?” She was genuinely curious about what his answer would be. 

“Well, I thought you could stay with me in my room. Thanks to last night, we’ve already slept in the same bed, and I thought we could do it again. I’m very willing to share - I’m generous like that, Nan.” 

She smirked. “I’m sure you are. So if we did share a room, and a bed…” 

“I thought we could play charades and order ice cream sundaes from room service,” he replied, his tone innocent and his brown eyes wide. 

“Uh huh, sure you did,” she answered, trying not to laugh. 

His expression turned serious. “Look, if it makes you uncomfortable, I can either pay for you to have your own hotel room, or I can get two beds in my room, instead. I just want you to be there, and I’m honestly glad to do whatever you want to, Nancy.” 

Nancy let out the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. “Let me think about all of this, okay? And I need to make sure I can actually get off from work.” 

Ned leaned forward and gave her a gentle kiss. “I hope you can - I really love the idea of spending the whole weekend with you. And if it doesn’t work out, I want to plan for us to have a weekend away somewhere when you can get away.” 

“That sounds good,” she smiled. She mentally crossed her fingers that she could make it work. The thought of being with Ned – and sleeping with him in his bed - for an entire weekend was entirely too delicious to pass up. 


	10. Chapter 10

Five days later, Nancy finished her shift at 312 Chicago and spontaneously decided to stop by Ned’s before heading home. Just before leaving the restaurant, she quickly ran a comb through her hair and slicked on some lipgloss and mascara, hearing Bess’s voice in her ear. 

When she got to his front door, she knocked tentatively, hoping he was there. 

Ned’s beaming face greeted her as the door opened. He wore faded, baggy jeans and a Northwestern t-shirt that clung to his firm, muscular chest. “Hey, baby! This is such a nice surprise! What’s up?” He leaned down to give her a quick kiss before taking her hand and pulling her inside. 

“Just thought I’d stop in…I’m not disturbing you or interrupting anything, am I?” Nancy asked, suddenly anxious. 

“Of course not, Nan! I told you – you can stop by anytime you want. I was just thinking about you.” He kissed her again and led her to the couch. 

Nancy’s lips turned up in a grin. “You were? And just what were you thinking, Mr. Nickerson?” She raised an eyebrow in a lascivious gesture. 

He returned her grin. “Well, I was thinking about how much fun we had after studying last night…” Nancy blushed, remembering how they had been sprawled out on that very sofa, a look of intense concentration on his face as he traced her nipples with his fingers and tongue. 

“But I also thought about what we wanted to do this weekend. My friend has tickets for a Cubs pre-season game and can’t use them. How do you feel about baseball?” 

“Baseball’s good. And I can buy the hot dogs and beer.” 

Ned raised his eyebrow in mock irritation. “This argument again?” 

“No argument – it’s a cheap way I can buy you dinner, so there.” 

“Fine, but just this once,” he told her, leaning in for another brief kiss. “So, why did you stop by? You have to be exhausted from school and work today, baby.” 

“I am, but I wanted to talk to you.” She reached for his hand and linked his fingers through hers. “I’ve been thinking about your cousin’s wedding. I talked to my bosses at both restaurants…” 

“And?” Ned asked eagerly. 

“And, they will let me have off. But, I’ll still need to work a Friday night shift at Mastro’s, so I won’t be able to leave until Saturday morning, if that’s okay. But, I’ll have off that day and all of Sunday, so…” 

“So, we can spend the weekend in New York together,” he finished, a big grin on his face. She nodded, smiling back. 

“And the room arrangements? I already have mine booked, and it has a king-sized bed, but if you want your own room, I can do that, or I can sleep on the couch, no big deal...” 

Nancy leaned forward and placed her fingers against his lips. “What if I told you that I wanted us to have one room, and one bed?” 

Ned appeared cautiously pleased. “Are you sure, babe?” he asked, turning serious. “I meant it when I said that my invite didn’t mean you had to sleep with me. We can share the room and I can sleep on the couch or something…” 

She shook her head. “Nope, we’ll share the bed. I liked sleeping in your arms, Nickerson, and I want to do it again,” she told him almost shyly. 

He gave her a slow, sweet smile. “I liked it, too, Drew.” 

“So, then it’s settled – you, me, and a weekend in New York.” 

“Nothing would make me happier, Nan. Except spending time with you this Sunday at the game, and during our study sessions next week, and at the gala next weekend…” Nancy cut him off mid-sentence by placing her lips over his in a deep kiss. 

\-- 

Nancy nervously smoothed down the hem of her dress while she sat on her couch and waited for Ned to arrive. The sleeveless black chiffon cocktail dress flowed from her waist in soft ruffled tiers and stopped at her knees, her slender waist encircled by a satin ribbon. _Thank God for Bess and her shopping obsession_ , Nancy thought to herself, _or I wouldn’t have any decent clothes at all._

__

Her father walked in, and she noticed with amusement that he was wearing a nice blue shirt and navy pants. “Hot date with Diane Sawyer, Dad?” she teased, referring to their pretty blonde neighbor who had been flirting with her father over the last several months. 

She was surprised to see him become flustered. “You’re not the only one with plans this evening, Nan. And, yes, they are with Dana. By the way, you look beautiful, honey.” 

“Thanks, Dad! I just hope I’m not too dressed up.” 

“Will Ned be here soon?” Carson asked, checking his watch. 

“Should be any minute.” Nancy smoothed her skirt again and ran a hand through the red gold waves that cascaded down her shoulders. 

“The Mentor Us program does great work, Nan – I’m very impressed that he volunteers there.” 

“So am I,” Nancy admitted, smiling. “This charity gala and silent auction is supposed to raise a lot of money for them, and I’ll get to meet some of the kids he mentors. Unfortunately, with my schedule, I haven’t been able to get there on the weekends to volunteer, but I hope that I’ll be able to when school is out for the summer.” 

“That would be nice. Oh, and that sounds like Ned,” Carson added when the doorbell rang. “I’ll get it.” 

After Ned arrived, a broad smile on his face as he took in her appearance, they left for the reception. When they arrived at the fancy hotel where the event was being held, Nancy couldn’t help but be impressed. “Wow, this is really nice,” she remarked. “Glad I dressed up after all.” 

“So am I,” he told her, his voice husky. “Great job with finding that sexy little dress I asked for- you look so gorgeous.” 

Nancy felt warm all over. “Thanks. So you do you,” she replied. She had almost melted at the sight of him in his black suit, crisp white shirt, and silver and black tie. Only the presence of her father had prevented her from grabbing Ned by that beautiful tie and dragging him into her bedroom. 

Ned smiled and reached for her hand as the doorman held open the ornately trimmed door for them. “Looks like it’s in Ballroom C,” he told her, pointing toward the sign in the lobby. 

They made their way to the ballroom, where Ned was greeted by several official-looking men and women. She felt a flush of pleasure when he introduced her as his girlfriend; it grew into a wave of pride when she heard the men and women praise Ned so effusively for his work with their organization. 

“Hope you’re not too nervous giving your speech tonight,” a white-haired woman told him, smiling. 

Nancy turned to look at Ned in astonishment. “Speech? You didn’t tell me you were giving a speech, Ned.” 

“Mr. Modest,” teased a middle-aged, slightly chubby brunette. “He’s one of the people we’re honoring tonight for their commitment to Mentor Us. When he found out, he asked us not to make a big deal out of it, but we ignored him.” 

After they had chatted a few more minutes, Ned excused himself and Nancy so they could get some drinks at the bar. The moment they were alone, Nancy placed her hand on his forearm to halt him. “Why didn’t you tell me, Ned?” 

“Because,” he shrugged, clearly embarrassed, “I didn’t want you to think I was bragging. I don’t work with these kids to get rewarded for it, so it wasn’t a big deal.” 

“I think it’s a very big deal,” she informed him, leaning forward to give him a gentle kiss. “And I’m proud of my sweet, kind boyfriend.” 

Her words brought a smile to Ned’s face. “Really?” 

“Really,” she confirmed, kissing him again. “I’ll show him how just proud I am later on…” 

Just then, a group of kids surrounded them. “Hey, Ned, stop macking on your chick long enough to introduce us!” a tall, dark-skinned lanky teenager told him, grinning broadly. 

Ned snickered. “Nice, Dwayne. Nancy, this is Dwayne, and his cohorts are Chris, Jake, Julio, Raoul, DeSean, Allan, and Lamont. Guys, this is my girlfriend, Nancy Drew.” 

Nancy stuck out her hand and shook theirs, entertained by the looks of amusement on their faces. “Nice to meet all of you.” 

“Yeah, nice to meet you,” DeSean told her, a light in his eyes. “Ned, how’d you get with such a hottie?” 

“Yeah, man. I mean, you’re all right, but she’s… _smokin’_ ,” Julio told him. 

“Fine as hell,” echoed Jake. 

Nancy blushed, enjoying the look of delight on Ned’s face at the compliments they were giving her. “See, this is your reward for working hard and doing well in school,” Ned replied, squeezing her shoulders. “Good things happen to you.” 

“Well, then, shoot – sign me up for law school right now,” Chris announced. The group laughed. 

“Okay, guys, we’ll talk to you later. Right now, I owe Nan a drink. “ 

“Get me one, too?” Julio piped up. Ned gave him a look. “Just kidding, man. Catch you later.” 

“They seem very…lively,” Nancy laughed as they made their way to the bar. 

Ned chuckled. “Yeah, that’s one way to describe them. If they were a few years older, I’d be fighting them off to get to you. They find you super hot, in case you weren’t paying attention.” 

She giggled. “Well, it’s a good thing I already have a boyfriend, then, isn’t it?” 

Whatever he was about to reply was cut off by a woman’s voice calling his name. “Ned Nickerson? Why, I can’t believe it’s you!” 

They both turned around, Ned wincing when he saw who it was. “God, I’m really gonna need a drink after this,” he muttered. “Hey, Belinda,” he said in a louder voice as the woman approached them. 

Nancy was momentarily stunned by how gorgeous Belinda was. Her lovely face, with its high cheekbones and creamy complexion, was made even more striking by a pair of deep blue eyes framed by long, lashes that she was fluttering at Ned. Lustrous jet-black hair fell to the middle of her back in soft waves. She was petite and her body was shown to perfect advantage by the tight red satin cocktail dress clinging to her every curve. Nancy thought she looked familiar, but couldn’t place her. 

“Hi, Ned – fancy meeting you here,” the woman cooed, leaning forward. She looked as if she were about to kiss him on the lips, but Ned angled his face so that she would have to settle for his cheek. Nancy set her jaw when she saw the imprint of Belinda’s cherry red lipstick marking him. 

“Still as sexy as ever in a suit, I see. How’ve you been?” 

“Fine, thanks,” Ned replied neutrally. “Belinda, this is my girlfriend, Nancy Drew.” Nancy was amused that he emphasized the word _girlfriend,_ but it still didn’t make up for the other woman’s lipstick on him. “Nancy, this is Belinda Morrison.” 

Belinda’s smile dimmed but she put out her hand and gave Nancy’s a firm shake. “Nice to meet you,” she cooed, but Nancy could tell she was lying. “I’m here to perform, Ned – what are you doing here?” she asked, as if she were dismissing Nancy. 

“I volunteer with Mentor Us, and I have for years,” he replied tersely. “Or don’t you remember? Probably not, because it was something that wasn’t all about you.” 

Nancy tried not to smirk, but she didn’t know how successful she was. 

“Ned, you really don’t want to get into it about who was the selfish one in our relationship, now, do you? Especially in front of your _girlfriend_ here.” Belinda’s lips were turned upwards, but her smile looked forced and tight. “And, I’ll have you know, I do some mentoring myself. I work with dance schools here in the city so poor little girls can see what it looks like when a real ballet dancer dances.” 

Ned snorted. “Poor kids, all right, because they have to deal with that attitude.” 

Nancy was shocked that her kind, mild-mannered boyfriend was being so nasty with his ex-girlfriend, but chose to keep quiet. Suddenly, she realized where she recognized Belinda from – she was a dancer with the Chicago Ballet Theater. Not only a dancer, but one of the principals. 

Belinda’s smile turned into a sneer. “Still bitter that you lost me, huh, Nickerson? That I found someone better? A shame, since it doesn’t look like you found someone even half as beautiful as me.” She gestured to Nancy, who glared at her. She thought it probably wouldn’t be the best idea to punch Belinda in the face in front of all of these people, even though she completely deserved it. 

Ned shook his head. “Amazing how you’ve rewritten history in your head, Belinda. But trust me, the day _I_ broke up with _you_ was one of the best days of my life.” 

He tightened his arm around Nancy. “Oh, and I found someone a thousand times more beautiful than you, both inside and out. The day I met _her_ was _the best_ day of my life. So go find the poor sucker you’ve managed to lure in with your pretty face, because you won’t be able to keep him much longer – once he finds out what you’re really like, he’ll dump you, too.” 

Belinda looked so furious that Nancy thought she would breathe fire if she could. “You’re an asshole, Nickerson – always were.” 

“I’ve heard that from you before,” Ned said mildly. “Now leave us alone.” 

“Oh, don’t worry - I don’t want to spend one more minute with you. Oh, and you –“ she pointed to Nancy, “don’t look so smug over there. You think you’ve won a real prize, don’t you? Well, good luck when you find out what _he’s_ really like. He probably picked you because he felt like fucking a redhead for a change of pace, but he’ll soon get tired of you and move on to someone else. He’s never alone for long, honey.” With that, Belinda flounced away, her back straightened with suppressed fury. 

“Nan, I am so sorry you had to be subjected to that,” Ned told her as he led her out of the ballroom into the hallway. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed her to his chest. “I’m pretty sure I don’t have to tell you this after what you just witnessed, but she’s pure evil. The exterior wrapping is there as a trap set up by Satan to lure men to the dark side.” 

Nancy chuckled but didn’t say anything. 

“Baby, are you okay?” he asked when she was still silent for another minute, smoothing her hair with his palm. 

Nancy nodded and pushed back so she could look into his eyes. “I am,” she told him truthfully. “Mostly.” 

“All right, so tell me what you’re not okay with.” 

She took a deep breath. “I was just surprised, that’s all. You’re always so nice and sweet and easy-going with me and with everyone else I’ve seen you interact with…To see you get so nasty was kind of a shock, you know? I mean, now that I’ve met her, I get it, but…” 

“Baby…Belinda is the nastiest, most self-centered, most conceited person I’ve ever met in my life. Everything was always about her and her career. She’s a great dancer, sure, but a cold and mean person inside, so it makes everything about her ugly. When I met her, I was dumb enough to be taken in by her appearance – I was stupid and shallow. 

“You heard me talk about my other ex-girlfriends, right? Did I say anything bad or nasty about them? No,” he answered his own question. “I told you that they were very nice, but things just didn’t work out for various reasons, and it was the truth.” 

Nancy nodded again. “You’re right, you did. I’m sorry - just kind of shocked me, like I said. ” 

“You still don’t look happy, though. What else?” 

“What she said about you being with me because I’m something different. It just kind of hit a nerve, because that’s what I was always so suspicious about when we first met. Then, she said that you’re never alone for long, it kind of fed into my worries that you’re…” 

“…a player?” he finished her sentence. “Nancy…I feel like we’re moving backwards here. She said all of that shit to be mean and hurt you – that’s just how she is. By now, you should know how I feel about you – and that I take our relationship very seriously. 

“By the way, what I told her was true – you are so much more beautiful to me than she ever was, and meeting you was the best thing to ever happen to me,” he told her softly. “I wish you would finally believe me.” 

Nancy felt tears gathering in her eyes. “See, that’s what I’m talking about,” she said lightly. “Sweet.” 

He chuckled before drawing her to him for a gentle kiss. “Please don’t give her another thought.” 

“I won’t,” she told him firmly. “Now, I feel like I’m turning into Belinda because this night is supposed to be all about how awesome you are, and instead you’re spending time comforting me.” 

Ned laughed and brushed his lips against hers again. “Baby, not even on your worst day could you ever possibly be compared to Belinda, trust me.” 

She smiled at him and gave him another kiss before reluctantly pulling away. “Now, as much as I hate to stop kissing you, let’s get back in there so you can get me the drink you promised me, and I can hear everyone talk about how amazing my boyfriend is. Oh – wait a second first?” 

Nancy dashed over to one of the serving trays that was laden with clean linens and pulled out a napkin from the stack. Ned chuckled when she used it to wipe Belinda’s blood red lipstick mark from his cheek, the crimson a sharp contrast against the snow white of the cloth. 

“Much better,” she told him solemnly before linking her hand with his and leading him back inside to the ballroom. 

They returned just in time for the presentation part of the evening. She saw Ned grit his teeth as Belinda and some of her fellow dancers performed, and she patted his hand reassuringly. 

Nancy thought she would burst with pride when the head of Mentor Us spoke so glowingly about Ned and his contributions to her organization and a few of the boys he mentored stood up and talked about how much he meant to them. She could see Ned blushing beside her, and she nudged at his shoulder so that she could nestle under the crook of his arm as she took his hand into hers. When the room burst into thunderous applause at the end of the tribute, Ned gave Nancy a quick kiss before standing up and taking his place at the podium. 

Ned’s speech was brief but heartfelt, and Nancy found it incredibly sweet, how touched he was for receiving the honor. Her heart swelled even more when he mentioned how happy he was that his beautiful girlfriend Nancy could be there to meet everyone he worked with. 

After the presentations and the auction were complete, the band began playing again, and Ned pulled her onto the dance floor. “Any excuse to hold you,” he teased. 

“I’m so happy you brought me here, but you didn’t have to talk about me in your speech,” she told him, smoothing his tie. “I had nothing to do with this.” 

“But you have everything to do with how happy I’ve been over the last several months,” he countered. “And I meant what I said – I’m so glad that I could introduce you to the kids and the others. It was nice to have someone who means so much to me meet the other people who matter to me.” 

She flushed in delight. “I’ve had a great time tonight.” 

“Well, I’m glad – so have I. Hey, this should probably end in another hour or so. Back to my place for a little while?” he whispered into her ear. 

“Will Mike and Howie be home?” she whispered back. 

Ned chuckled. “Howie is on a business trip, and Mike should be back a little later. But we should have the place to ourselves for a while.” 

“Well, then, let’s go back to your place.” 

When they arrived at Ned’s, the apartment was empty, as he had predicted. “Want another drink?” 

Nancy shook her head. “No, I’m good.” 

“Movie, TV?” 

She shook her head again. “What if we go into your bedroom?” she asked, trying to sound casual. 

Ned raised his eyebrows. “I’m not gonna say no to that,” he said, grinning. 

“It doesn’t mean that we’re going to…” Nancy twisted her hand back and forth. 

“That’s fine – I’ll take what I can get, Nan.” He took her hand and led her to the bedroom, closing the door behind them. Ned drew her into his arms and they began to kiss. 

“I know I told you before, but you look so gorgeous and sexy tonight,” he told her between kisses. “My kids were extremely impressed that I was able to get someone as hot as you,” he teased. 

Nancy giggled. “They were so sweet. I really need to join you some weekend when school is over.” 

Ned’s eyes lit up. “I’d love that.” He kissed her again. “You’d really have a great time, and we’d get to spend more time together – two great reasons to do it.” 

She pulled away and led him to the bed. “Let’s lie down and get more comfortable.” 

Ned lay down on his back and reached for her, but Nancy hesitated. “Did you change your mind, baby?” he asked gently. 

In response, Nancy reached for the side of her dress and pulled down the zipper, letting it pool at her feet. She stood before him clad only in a black satin push-up demi-cup bra and the matching thong. 

“Well, damn,” he whistled. The look of frank appreciation in his eyes made her blush slightly. “That dress looked incredible on you, but it looks even better on my floor. Come here, Nan.” 

She crawled onto the bed and settled on top of him, kissing him lightly. Ned wrapped his arms around her waist and let one hand linger on her ass. Nancy sighed at the slight pressure of his warm palm on her nearly-naked bottom. 

Reaching up, Nancy fumbled with the knot of his tie, loosening it, and began undoing the buttons of his shirt, never removing her mouth from his. When all of the buttons above his waist were open, she reached down and pulled the shirt out of his pants, undoing the rest of the buttons. Her task complete, Nancy settled back down onto his chest, enjoying the feel of her satin bra against his bare skin. 

“Can I take anything off of you?” Ned whispered after breaking off their kiss. 

“Bra, yes; panties stay on,” she told him softly, brushing her lips against his. 

“Deal.” He smiled slowly and reached behind her to undo the clasps of her bra, sliding it off. “Nice,” he whispered, shifting one hand to brush her nipple. The look of desire in his brown eyes made her want to take off the thong, too, but she knew that if that happened, they wouldn’t stop. The thought of him slipping between her thighs made her shiver but she was still terrified to relinquish that level of control. 

Ned shifted and rolled over so that he was on top. He slipped his hand over her breast and slid his mouth over hers so that the movement of his tongue mimicked the movement of his thumb against her nipple. 

“So, how many times did you do this with Belinda?” Nancy blurted out, wanting to slap herself the minute the words came out of her mouth. _Nice, Drew, she chastised herself._

__

Ned pulled back in surprise. “Where did that come from?” 

“Sorry, sorry,” she sighed, tilting her head back to look up at him. “When I saw her tonight, she was so beautiful…” 

“Nan,” he groaned. “I already told you that however good she looks on the outside, Belinda’s just cold and empty inside. Did we go out? Yes – what can I say? I was young, dumb, and horny enough to be taken in by the wrapping.” He shrugged. “When I found out what she was really like, I ended it.” 

“Did you sleep with her?” Nancy couldn’t seem to stop herself from blurting out the thoughts in her head. 

“I did. I feel like you want me to apologize for that, but I can’t be sorry for having sex with other girls before I met you. Just like you told me you’re not a virgin, either.” 

Nancy nodded. “There have been a few guys,” she acknowledged. 

“Do I like the idea of you being naked in front of other guys and having sex with them? No – but I get that you had a past before we met, so I can’t be pissed about it.” 

“How long did it take before you and Belinda had sex?” _God, what is wrong with you, Nancy?_ she berated herself. 

“I thought we weren’t going down this road, Nan…” His tone held a hint of warning. 

“You don’t have to answer,” she told him hastily. “I’m being stupid.” 

“But I will, because I don’t want any secrets between us. I want us to have an open and honest relationship. I had sex with Belinda the first night we met. It wasn’t the first time or last time I had sex with someone on the first night, either.” 

“Oh,” Nancy whispered. _And now that you know this, do you feel better?_ _How long do you think he’s going to wait for you when other girls gave it up on the first night?_

“Yeah, and I’m not proud of it, but I’m not ashamed, either,” Ned told her. “It’s stuff that happened in the past, and I can’t change it. And, by the look on your face, I can see that you’re now thinking about whether I’ll wait for you to be ready or dump you for not already having sex with me,” he said gently. He ran one hand over her bare stomach. 

Nancy sighed deeply. “Open and honest, right? Then…yeah. I mean, you’ve been really good about not pushing me, but now I know that other women haven’t made you wait. I mean, I figured, but…” 

“And those relationships didn’t last, Nan. Do I wish that you and I were having sex? Hell, yes. Do I think about it a lot? Hell, yes - all the time. Especially when you wear sexy outfits and even sexier underwear for me and we roll around on my bed or my couch … But I don’t want to do it before you’re ready, so I’m okay with waiting.” 

“But how long, Ned? Like, what will be the point when you’ll be tired of waiting and just dump me?” 

“Well, if we’re still not having sex in a year, then I think we need to have a serious talk. Because I think that’ll mean there are other issues with our relationship. But I’m okay to wait longer, Nan. I just want to be with you and I want it to be right.” 

“Thank you,” she mumbled. “But in the meantime, I’m still cool with fooling around, so…” She reached up and moved his hand back to her breast. 

Ned chuckled. “Well, if I have to touch your gorgeous naked breasts, then, okay - just because you insist.” 

“Gorgeous?” she giggled. 

“That’s right. Spectacular,” he clarified, running his palm over her hardened nipple before bending his head and capturing it between his teeth. “Delicious.” 

“Mmm,” she murmured. “Nice.” She slid her hand down his shoulder to his chest, enjoying the feel of warm, firm muscle underneath her palm. Feeling bold, she let it drift down to his belt buckle and began undoing it. 

“Nan,” he said warningly, his voice strained. 

“Do you not want me to?” she asked. “I want to make you feel good.” 

“Of course I want you to. But I’m just afraid we’ll go further than you want to.” 

“Don’t worry - I’ll stop things when I feel I need to. I’ve done it before, haven’t I?” With that, Nancy finished undoing his belt and slowly pulled down his zipper. She pushed lightly on his shoulders and was glad when he rolled onto his back again. Climbing on top of him once more, she dipped one hand into his now-open fly and began stroking his erection through the cotton of his boxers. 

When Ned started to groan, she began using firmer strokes. His cry of protest when she sat back on her haunches turned into a delighted moan when she slipped her palm into the front opening of the boxers and began touching his naked hard-on. “Do you like this?” she whispered anxiously. 

Ned nodded his head violently. “Baby, you have no idea,” he panted. “That feels so good.” He reached up and caressed her breasts and they were both panting from the pleasure. “Nan, I’m enjoying the hell out of this, believe me, but if you plan on continuing…” 

“I do - why?” Nancy began using firmer strokes, enjoying how hot and firm he felt in her palm. 

“Can we at least take my pants and shorts off? I don’t exactly want to get jizz on my suit,” he murmured. 

Nancy giggled. “Good point.” She helped him to pull down the pants and boxers, leaving him naked from the waist down. “Mmm, now I know where you got that nickname your friends use for you – ‘The Big Nick’, huh?” 

She was amused when he actually blushed. “Not where that nickname came from, but if you want to call it that, be my guest.” 

“Mmm, I think I will.” Nancy licked her palm and then resumed stroking him from base to tip. When her thumb glanced over the head, she could feel the pre-cum gathering there. The temptation to push down her thong and slide him inside of her was strong, but she restrained herself. She straddled his hips, using one forearm to prop herself up so that her face was close to his while using the other hand to continue to jerk him off. Leaning down, she crushed her mouth to his, their tongues sliding over each other. 

“So fucking sexy,” he muttered against her lips. “You look so fucking sexy like this – thong clinging to your nearly-naked ass, your breasts bouncing up and down, my cock in your hand…God, I want you so much right now.” 

“I’m glad you’re enjoying the view,” she murmured in response. “I’m trying to make this good for you.” She could feel the satin at her crotch become soaking wet at the feel of him in her hand. 

“It is so fucking good,” he panted. “Harder, please.” 

Nancy obeyed his command, alternating between stroking his cock and gently teasing his balls. 

“Oh, baby,” he moaned. “I know you want to wait - but mmmm, I want so badly to fuck you right now.” 

Nancy was already turned on; his words made the muscles at her core actually clench. “I know,” she sighed. His hands continued to tease her nipples and she would give anything to have him take those long fingers and bury them between her thighs, but she knew that if she did, they’d be having full-on sex within two minutes. 

“Nan, I’m about to…” He gasped, trying to get out the sentence. “I can’t wait any more...” 

“It’s okay,” she whispered, her eyes focused on the intense look of satisfaction and desire on his face. “Come, baby.” 

The second the words were out of her mouth, she felt him give one final pulse before her hand was coated with the hot, sticky evidence of his orgasm. Nancy continued to run her hands up and down his shaft, more slowly now, as he groaned his pleasure. When he began to soften, she planted a soft kiss on his mouth before leaning over to pluck a tissue off of his nightstand. 

Ned gave her a sheepish grin as she scrubbed her palm with the tissue. “Sorry, sweetheart.” 

She gave him another kiss. “Why? That was what was supposed to happen, right?” 

“I know, but I’m pretty sure most girls don’t enjoy the cleanup part of the act.” 

Nancy chuckled as she tossed the tissue into his wastebasket. “Well, as long as you enjoyed it, it was worth a little mess.” 

He gently pulled her down by her shoulders to kiss her more deeply. “That was amazing, baby. I loved every second of it. You are so good at that – best hand job ever. Really. But, there’s a problem.” 

He said it so seriously that Nancy became nervous. “What’s that?” 

“Well, now I’m satisfied and you’re not.” 

She relaxed. “Oh.” 

“Do you want me to do the same for you? Hands, mouth… I’m willing to do whatever it takes, Nan.” Ned raised his eyebrows lasciviously, and Nancy giggled. 

“That’s okay,” she told him, brushing her nose against his before resting her head on his chest. “I’m okay.” 

“Why? You enjoyed it when I touched you, right?” 

Nancy nodded her head vigorously against him. “I did,” she admitted. “But if you do that tonight, I won’t want you to stop.” 

“Well, I am very good at it.” He chuckled when she swatted at his abdomen. “Okay, okay, I get it.” Nancy could sense the disappointment in his tone. “I said that I wouldn’t pressure you, though, and I meant it.” 

“Thank you, and thanks for offering,” she told him, draping her arm over his abdomen and giving him a squeeze. 

Ned nuzzled the crown of her head. “The offer is good anytime, baby, trust me.” 


	11. Chapter 11

“Tell me again why the dress has to be floor-length?” Nancy asked, examining the gowns that Bess held up in front of her. 

It was the Tuesday night after the gala. Her last class had gotten out a little early that day, so Nancy had reluctantly agreed to go shopping before her shift at Mastro’s in hopes she could find something to wear to the wedding. Bess knew someone who worked at Macy’s and swore that she could get her an extra discount on top of the sale prices. 

“Because you told me the invitation said ‘black tie’. Now,” Bess said, shoving the stack of dresses at her and steering her toward an open cubicle, “get into that fitting room and try these on.” Her tone made it clear that she meant business. 

Nancy followed her friend’s orders and closed the door behind her. As she struggled to get into the first gown, Bess called to her through the door. 

“So, does this weekend away mean that you’re finally going to…?” 

Nancy cut her off. “Not sure yet, Bess.” 

“Come _on_!” Bess replied impatiently. “What the hell are you waiting for?” 

Nancy opened the door and surveyed herself doubtfully in the large three-way mirror that was in the common area of the dressing room. The gown was gold and sparkly and looked like it came from the closet of a pageant contestant. Or a participant in a Las Vegas drag review. 

“Yeah, this one’s a no. Sorry, but I’m meeting Ned’s family for the first time, and I don’t want them to think that he ordered me from an escort service.” 

Bess rolled her eyes. “Fine – excuse me for trying to inject some glamour into your life. But,don’t change the subject! Why the hell haven’t you slept with him already? You’re crazy about each other, and I’ll bet that he _definitely_ knows his way around a vagina.” 

“Bess!” Nancy hissed as two other women around their age, who resembled each other enough that they were probably sisters, began laughing at her friend’s comment. 

“Sorry,” Bess called out, turning to face the other women. “But my best friend here is going out with a ridiculously sexy, incredibly beautiful man who is absolutely insane about her. I mean, I don’t know if you two are married or single or what, but if he showed up here right now and crooked his finger at you, you’d be out of those jeans in, like, two seconds. 

“Meanwhile, this one here,” she tilted her head in Nancy’s direction, “ _still_ hasn’t let him water her garden, and it’s been _months._ ” 

“Oh my God,” Nancy moaned, caught between amusement and mortification. She rushed back into the dressing room and slammed the door behind her before hastily shucking off the tacky dress. She flipped through the remaining gowns on the hook, moving several to what she mentally referred as the ‘ _hell, no_ ’ pile without even trying them on. 

When she got to the next-to-last one, she held it up against her and studied her image in the mirror, liking what she saw. She slipped it on and opened the door again. 

“Well, I’d ask what happened to the others, but this one looks so amazing on you that I can’t argue with you too much,” Bess told her, a grin breaking out on her face. 

:”Really?” Nancy asked, walking to the three-way mirror and turning from side to side as she examined her reflection in the glass. 

“Nan, it’s perfect,” her friend gushed. “Looks like it was made just for you.” 

Bess was right, Nancy thought to herself. The long, strapless cobalt-blue column gently draped over her body, showing off her slender figure to perfect advantage without being too flashy or showy, the side slit providing just enough of a glimpse of her long, shapely legs. 

The shade set off her eyes and her peaches-and-cream complexion, and the jeweled silver sash just under her breasts, coupled with the sweetheart neckline, gave her a nice appearance of cleavage without being obscene. Plus, her silver high-heeled sandals would give her enough height so that the dress probably wouldn’t have to be altered. She smiled at the thought of Ned’s expression when he saw her in it. 

“He will absolutely love it,” Bess said, as if she were reading Nancy’s mind. She came up behind Nancy. “And about what we were discussing before… Honey, you know I try not to tell you what to do…” 

Nancy raised her eyebrows, pointing to the open dressing room strewn with discarded dresses. 

“Well, I try not to tell you what to do about important things,” Bess clarified. “But when I do, it’s because I have your best interest at heart. Because I love you like a sister – you know that.” 

“I know, honey,” Nancy replied, turning around and giving her friend a quick squeeze. “And I feel the same way.” 

Bess flashed her quick smile before continuing. “Nan, I know that you won’t admit it, but you’ve never felt anything like what you feel for Ned.” Nancy paused before nodding slowly. “I also know you’re scared about letting him in – literally and figuratively – but don’t you think he’s worth it?” 

Nancy tried to shrug it off, but she found she couldn’t deter her eyes from the reflection of Bess’s unwavering stare in the mirror. “I do,” she admitted softly. “But, Bess…what if this messes things up between us? And even if it doesn’t, you know how sex complicates a relationship, and the last thing I ever wanted was complications. All I set out to do was study for my test and now…” 

“Now you met an amazing guy who you really care about,” Bess finished her sentence. “And it’s only logical that you take things to the next step – it’ll just make things stronger and better between the two of you. Just relax and enjoy, Nan – this kind of thing you have with Ned doesn’t come along every day. Promise me that you’ll at least consider it.” 

Nancy nodded slowly. “It’s getting tougher and tougher to stop and say no. And then I can’t remember why I even wanted to in the first place.” 

“Then, honey, why don’t you say yes? Your body will thank you for it, I’m _sure_.” 

Chuckling, Nancy turned and gave Bess another quick hug. “Thank you – I will definitely think about it.” 

“Yay!” Bess squealed. “And if you do finally give your sexy boyfriend some, I want details of how it went down. Literally. I’m talking play-by-play specifics. Oh, and if you hurry and get out of that dress – which I’m assuming you’re taking – we may have time to stop in the lingerie department!” 

“No – no lingerie!” Nancy protested. “I still need to think, and you are not dressing me up like some slutty reject from the Victoria’s Secret catalogue. That is where I draw the line!” 

Bess pouted. “We’ll see, Nan.” 

\-- 

Thankfully, Nancy’s plane had been on time when it arrived at JFKAirport in New York on the Saturday of the wedding. She was exhausted from working late the previous evening and getting up incredibly early that morning to make her flight, but it was worth it to be able to have nearly two full days in a row with Ned. Besides, she had been able to take a quick nap on the flight and hoped to get a little rest in the hotel room before getting dressed for the wedding. _Their hotel room_ , she thought, a little tingle of anticipation going down her spine. 

Despite her protests, Ned had insisted at meeting her at the airport, even though he had just arrived on Thursday evening for the rehearsal dinner and some extra time with his extended family. His face had lit up in a huge grin when he caught sight of her in the baggage claim area; the grin got wider when she practically ran the final few feet to rush into his arms and plant a kiss on his lips in greeting. Even though she had only just seen him on Wednesday night, it had felt like they had been separated for weeks. 

Nancy snuggled against Ned on the cab ride to the city, dozing lightly against his firm shoulder. 

“Tired, baby?” he murmured, stroking her hair. 

She nodded. “I’ll be great after a little nap, though – if there’s time.” 

“Of course – we won’t have to leave for the church until around 5, so you definitely have time to nap before you get dressed. I also thought we could walk around a little this afternoon, since you haven’t been to New York before. By the way, have I told you that my parents are super-excited to meet you?” 

Nancy raised her head at that, suddenly feeling nervous. “They are?” 

Ned chuckled. “I didn’t tell you to freak you out; in fact, I wanted to do the opposite. I know you guys will hit it off, so don’t worry, Nan.” 

“I’m sure,” she said, not very convincingly. 

“It’ll be fine,” he soothed. 

Nancy still wasn’t sure, but she nodded again and took his hand into hers as she tried to stay awake for the reminder of the ride to the hotel. 

When they arrived, Ned helped her with her luggage and laughingly promised not to look as she hung her dress in the closet: she wanted the gown to be a surprise so she could wow him later on. Nancy kicked off her shoes and slipped off her cardigan between yawns, still in her jeans and t-shirt as she crawled between the sheets. She was exhausted enough to fall asleep almost immediately, but having Ned’s strong arms around her made her even more comfortable and relaxed. 

They woke ninety minutes later; Nancy feeling refreshed as she padded out of bed and slipped back into her shoes. 

“So, where are you taking me, Nickerson?” she teased, sliding her arm into her sweater. 

Ned sat on the edge of the bed and watched her, amused. “Um, I don’t know? Did you want to walk around the neighborhood, maybe take a cab to Times Square? We could go to Central Park? They have a zoo there, you know – with penguins.” 

“Penguins?” Nancy grinned. “I happen to love penguins, but let’s go to Times Square so I can get an authentic New York experience. I want to see where the ball drops every year.” 

“Sounds good to me. And maybe we can come back here some New Year’s Eve and watch the ball drop in person,” he offered, his tone light. 

“Let’s go, then – if we wait much longer, we won’t have enough time to get ready for the wedding,” she told him, deliberately not responding to his comment, although the thought of spending her future New Year’s Eves with him caused a warm glow to spread through her. _Don’t get your hopes up!_ she scolded herself sternly. 

The edges of his lips curved up in the hint of a grin, but he didn’t pursue it any further. “Well, I’m sure you’ll look absolutely gorgeous, no matter what, but let’s get out of here.” After passing the mirror and running his hands through his hair to straighten it, he opened the door to the room and made a sweeping gesture towards the hallway. 

\-- 

Two hours later, they returned to the room, laughing and chatting about what they had just seen. 

“This city is amazing,” Nancy sighed. “Bess would absolutely love it, especially if she got a look at some of the store windows we passed on the cab ride over.” 

“It’s fun to visit, but I love Chicago more,” Ned admitted. 

“I do, too, but New York’s just so lively and bustling and …” Nancy searched for the right word to finish her sentence. 

“Energizing?” he suggested with a grin as he slipped his arms around her waist and drew her close. 

“Yes!” she beamed. “Energizing. By all rights, we should be wiped out by now, but I feel jazzed.” 

“Well, I’m glad to hear you say that. After all, we have a wedding to go to, and a lot of dancing to do.” 

“And I know how you like your dancing, Nickerson.” Nancy tapped her finger against the tip of her nose. 

“Putting my arms around you and pressing your body close to mine? Yeah, I’m a fan,” he told her, brushing his lips against hers. 

“Me too,” she admitted, kissing him back. 

“And I really can’t wait for us to come back here afterwards and have the whole night together.” 

She smiled. “Napping with you before was nice, but…” 

“I can think of some other fun things we could do besides sleeping.” Ned’s expression was hopeful. 

“Oh, I’m sure you could,” she retorted, but she was smiling as she said it. “And as much as I’m enjoying having you hold me right now, I think it’s time I take a shower and start getting dressed.” 

“You know, I could help with that if you needed,” he told her seriously. 

“Oh, I’m sure you could,” Nancy repeated, reluctantly disengaging from his arms. “But I somehow have a feeling that we wouldn’t really focus on getting ready for the wedding if that happened. Now, let me have the bathroom first so I have time to do my hair. Bess gave me all kinds of specific instructions on how to use the damn rollers she insisted I pack, and it’ll probably take me forever to figure that shit out. Then there’s my makeup…” 

Ned cracked up. “All right, all right. I’ll make myself scarce while you shower, because I don’t even think I can pretend that my willpower is strong enough to stay in this room while you’re wet and naked behind that very thin door. “He pointed to the bathroom door and gave a mock shudder. 

“Thanks, Nickerson.” She gave him another quick kiss before shooing him out the door. “Give me 30 minutes and then the shower will be all yours.” Nancy wanted the extra time to make sure her legs and underarms were perfectly shaved for when they returned to the room later. 

“Okay, okay. Back in a half hour. But call me if you need help washing your back. Or your front.” He wiggled his eyebrows in a mock leer. 

Giggling, Nancy gave him a playful push to signal that she wanted him to leave, even though she would love nothing more than to take him up on his offer. “Out! Now!” 

\-- 

When he returned after the promised thirty minutes, Nancy was in one of the plush terrycloth robes that had been hanging in the room, still tussling with her damp hair to force it around the aforementioned rollers as she sat in the little vanity area. 

“Yeah, I’m sure you find this very sexy,” she teased as she watched Ned’s eyes, alight with amusement, sweep over her. 

“I do,” he told her seriously. “You, in my hotel room - _our_ hotel room -as we get ready to go out? Works for me. Now, my turn for the shower.” 

He scooped up his toiletries kit and walked to the bathroom. “Don’t hesitate to come on in if you feel the need,” he informed her solemnly. “If you feel like you didn’t get clean enough when you showered on your own…” 

She rolled her eyes, trying not to grin. “I’m set, Nickerson. Go, so I can finish this and move on to the eighty million steps that Bess provided for me to apply my makeup.” 

By the time he was finished, Nancy had completed the challenge of putting in the rollers, proud of herself for only having to check the pictures Bess had stored on her phone twice. The various pots and tubes of cosmetics were strewn out over the vanity and she was just applying her mascara when he walked out, clad in a black suit and aqua silk tie, his hair still slightly damp. The sight sent a bolt of heat straight through her, but she turned back to the mirror and forced herself to focus. 

“How are you doing, baby?” he asked, walking over to her and planting a quick kiss on her cheek. 

She looked at him through the reflection. “Almost done with the makeup; next, I have to blow dry my hair and take out these damn things,” she pointed to the rubberized tubes sticking out haphazardly around her head. 

“I thought you were a low-maintenance kind of girl, Drew,” he teased. 

“I am!” she protested. “But it’s your cousin’s wedding, and your parents, and the rest of your family…” Nancy wanted to kick herself when she heard her voice come dangerously close to a wail. 

Ned gripped her by the shoulders and gently turned her body to face his before reaching down to take her hands. “Baby, stop. Stop,” he repeated, more gently this time. “I told you, they will be crazy about you. If you showed up in jeans and a t-shirt, they’d still love you.” 

“I doubt that, since Bess has informed me that black-tie is kind of a big deal,” Nancy replied mournfully. 

“Okay, they might question the jeans if you showed up wearing them at the wedding,” he conceded. “But, my point is that they just want to meet you – they have heard such great stuff about you from me, and they want to get to know you, too. So please don’t worry about your hair or your makeup, or any of that.” 

“Do you practice being this smooth in front of the mirror when you’re home alone late at night? Or does it just come naturally?” 

Ned chuckled. “All natural, baby. Because it’s the truth.” 

“Intellectually, I know that they won’t flip if my eyeliner’s not perfect, but, still… I just want to make a good impression. And, I want to look good for you,” she admitted, the last part of her sentence coming out in a mumble as she looked down at her lap. 

“Baby, you always look good to me. And I am sure that you are going to be so smoking hot and sexy tonight that I will have even more trouble than usual keeping my hands off of you.” 

Nancy secretly hoped so. “Well, at least let me finish so I don’t have mascara on one eye and not the other, okay?” 

Ned released her, grinning. “Okay, but don’t go too crazy with the rest. We have, “he pushed back his jacket sleeve to check his watch, “a half hour before we have to get downstairs to the lobby and meet everyone to start leaving for the church.” 

“I can do that,” she promised. “Now, I’m sure there is some kind of sporting event on TV, so…” 

“I’m sure I can find one,” he told her, taking the hint. “Even if it’s curling or log rolling or something.” 

\-- 

Twenty five minutes later, Nancy stood in the bathroom and gave herself one final examination in the long mirror on the back of the door. It had been tough to wrestle into the one-piece undergarment underneath and then zip herself up, but she thought that the effort had been worth it. Now that her makeup and hair were done and she was wearing her heels, the dress looked even better than it had when she had tried it on at the store. She slipped in the dangling silver earrings that Bess had lent her and gave her lips a final coating of gloss before dropping the tube into her evening bag. Taking one more deep breath before putting her hand on the doorknob, she exhaled slowly as she opened the door. 

“I’m ready to go!” Nancy called out, proud that her voice didn’t quaver from her nerves. She walked over to face him as he slowly sat up from his sprawled position on the bed. 

“Nan…Jesus….” It seemed her handiwork had paid off; he apparently couldn’t get out a full sentence as he stared at her. 

“Do you like it?” she asked, her lips curling up in a knowing grin. 

“You look…I mean, you are always gorgeous and sexy to me, but right now? There aren’t even words. You look amazing. The most beautiful, sexiest woman I have ever seen. I.... That dress, your body, your _legs_ … _Jesus_ , Nan.” 

The look of barely-concealed desire in his eyes did something to her insides, and the feeling got even stronger when he gave her one of his heart-melting grins. “I know I said that my family wants to meet you, but can’t we just stay in this room tonight?” 

“Hell no, Nickerson,” she informed him loftily. “I just spent forever getting ready, and you are going to show me off.” 

“You’re damn right I will,” he told her. “Because you are so incredibly gorgeous and ridiculously hot, but you’re also smart and funny and a blast to hang out with, so I will proudly show off being with the most incredible woman in the room tonight.” 

If Nancy hadn’t already known in her heart and her head how she wanted the evening to end that night, his words would have clinched the deal. Plus, the way he looked in his suit and the crisp smell of his aftershave were also getting to her. 

“So, um, I know we have to go, but I wanted to talk about the plan for later.” 

Ned blinked, surprised. “Okayyyy. I thought we’d dance and drink and enjoy being together until we came back here so we could _really_ enjoy being together. Is there a different plan I’m not aware of?” 

“Well, I thought we could hang out with your family and dance and get just a little drunk and put this king-sized bed,” she nodded towards it, “to good use.” 

“Um, so it’s kinda like my plan?” 

Nancy laughed. “Okay, so let me try this again. When I’m saying that I would like to go to your cousin’s wedding with you, get a little drunk, and have hot, steamy sex in this one bed in your hotel room, do you think that’s something you’d be interested in?” 

The look on his face was priceless; Nancy had never seen someone’s jaw literally drop before. “Um, yes? Hell, yes?” He still wore a stunned expression. 

“Good,” she confirmed, smiling. “We’ve been together for a while now, and I think it’s time. Because I don’t know about you, but I’m damn tired of waiting.” 

Ned nodded vigorously, then paused. “Baby, are you sure? I meant it when I said that sharing this room didn’t require you to sleep with me.” 

“I know you did, and I’m definitely not doing this out of a sense of obligation, Nickerson - believe me. We’ve been going out for a couple of months, we really like spending time together, and we’re both hot for each other.” He grinned at that. 

“So I can’t think of a better reason,” she continued. “I don’t want to hold back anymore – I want to have sex with you. In that bed. Tonight.” Nancy was proud of herself for keeping her voice from wavering as she spoke. 

The smile Ned gave her actually made her knees weak. And her panties slightly damp. “So, wait – that means I have to try and concentrate on my family and this wedding and not think about us having hot and steamy sex later on? I know I’ve already waited for a few months, but damn – I don’t think I can hold out another six hours,” he declared, his face scrunched up in a mock frown. 

She nodded, amused, then leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. “Trust me when I tell you this...I’ll try to be worth the wait.” With that, she grabbed her evening bag and wrap and walked out of the room. 


	12. Chapter 12

Despite his words of encouragement earlier, Nancy couldn’t help but to still feel nervous as they got out of the elevator and walked through the hotel’s lobby to meet Ned’s family. As if he could sense her thoughts, he placed her hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. 

“Ned!” she heard a petite, white-haired woman in a long, dark green chiffon dress call out. “Over here!” The woman raised her arm and waved them over. _That has to be Ned’s mother,_ Nancy thought to herself, _because the man standing next to her looks exactly like an older, gray-haired version of Ned._

As they got closer, Nancy was even more startled by Ned’s resemblance to his father. They both shared the same strong jaw, warm brown eyes, and tall, athletic build. He was a strikingly handsome man in his dark suit and deep green tie that coordinated with his wife’s gown. 

Ned leaned down to give his mother a kiss and his father a quick hug before putting his arm around Nancy. “Mom, Dad – this is my girlfriend, Nancy Drew. Nancy, these are my parents – Edith and James Nickerson.” 

Nancy reached out and shook hands with both of them, instantly feeling at ease from the warm smiles they were giving her. 

“Nancy, we’re _so_ excited to meet you,” Edith bubbled. “Ned talks about you all of the time. And that dress is stunning - you look beautiful, dear.” 

Nancy blushed at Edith’s kind words. “Thank you. I love your dress, too, Mrs. Nickerson.” 

“Please – call me Edith, honey. And Ned, you look very dashing. I consider myself to be very lucky to be accompanied by my two handsome men this evening,” Edith teased her husband and son affectionately. 

Both Ned and Jim laughed, each man throwing an arm around the older woman’s waist. Nancy enjoyed watching the three of them interact with such evident love and warmth. It was incredibly sweet how James’s eyes lit up as he gazed down at his wife, even after all of their years of marriage. She remembered how Ned had told her about his parents’ great relationship during their first date. 

“We’re so glad you could join us this weekend, Nancy,” James told her sincerely, his arm still around his wife. “And we know Ned’s been dying to introduce you to us.” 

“Well, it’s so nice to be here,” she replied truthfully. 

“I must admit that Jim and I were nervous when we heard that you were one of Ned’s students,” Edith chuckled. 

Nancy laughed, too. “Yes, my dad had the same reservations.” 

“But since he’s never dated any of his students before, we figured that you were something special.” Nancy was struck by how alike James’s grin was to Ned’s. 

“Well, he is, too,” she confessed almost shyly. 

Edith beamed at that. “I think so, too - but I’m his mother, so I’m naturally prejudiced. Have you had the chance to meet any other members of our family?” 

“Nope, not yet, Mom,” Ned replied. “We did a little sightseeing this afternoon – I figured there was enough time for Nan to be surrounded by our family tonight and tomorrow.” 

His mother smiled and nodded. “Well, that sounds like much more fun than my afternoon, trying to keep my sister calm. The mother-of-the bride is quite a mess – don’t tell anyone, but she had to be slightly sedated in order to get through the first round of pictures in their suite upstairs.” Nancy, Ned, and James laughed. “I just hope that what we gave her doesn’t react with the champagne later.” 

“Well, that’ll make this wedding memorable,” James joked. 

“So, have you ever been to New York before?” Edith asked, steering the conversation back to Nancy. 

Nancy shook her head. “No, but it’s been wonderful, so far. Ned’s a great tour guide – he pointed out all kinds of landmarks and interesting things during our various cab rides and our visit to Times Square.” Ned smiled at her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, giving them a squeeze. 

“It’s a great place, but in my opinion, nothing’s better than Chicago,” James told her. 

Nancy grinned. “Your son just said the same thing to me today. And I think you’re both right.” 

Just then, someone from the wedding party came into the lobby to signal that the cars were starting to leave for the church. 

:”I’d love to continue this conversation, but it looks like it’s time to go,” Edith sighed ruefully. “Nancy, I know it’s probably going to be a hectic night, but let’s catch up at the reception later, okay? And if not, then definitely at tomorrow’s brunch.” 

Nancy smiled. “That would be great. It was lovely to meet you, Mrs…Edith,” she corrected herself. 

Ned beamed at the three of them, clearly pleased at how well the meeting had gone. “We’ll see you later, Mom and Dad.” He took Nancy’s hand again and led her to one of the waiting cabs. 

Once they were on their way to the church, Ned planted a quick kiss on her cheek. “See, I told you it would be great!” he crowed. 

“Ned, they’re so nice!” Nancy gushed. “So sweet and friendly.” 

Just then, his cell phone buzzed. Ned withdrew it from his interior jacket pocket, his puzzled expression turning to a wide smile. “Didn’t I say that you had nothing to be worried about?” he boasted, waving his phone under her nose. 

Nancy looked down at the screen and began to grin. The text was from his mother: _You were right – she’s beautiful & sweet & adorable! Your Dad & I can’t wait to talk to her some more! _

“Aww!” she exclaimed. “Now I can’t wait to talk to your parents some more, either. Maybe I can get them to tell me some embarrassing stories about you when you were a kid,” she teased. 

Ned chuckled. “They have already been coached that they are not to release any information like that.” 

“Oh, I think I can get them to bend the rules you’ve laid out,” Nancy informed him airily. 

“I can be as persuasive as you are.” 

“Mmm, you definitely can be,” he told her, nuzzling at her neck. 

She giggled. “Careful, you don’t want to give me a hickey for your family to see.” Her laughter turned into a squeal when he slipped one hand under the fabric of the dress’s slit to inch up her thigh. 

“Nickerson, I said we’d have sex later, not now, with a cab driver watching!” she whispered directly into his ear, trying to sound annoyed. It was difficult to do, though, when she felt herself becoming aroused by his touch on her bare skin. 

“I’m sorry, babe, I can’t help it. I’m gonna have a perpetual hard-on between now and the end of the evening, especially with you looking so damn sexy in that dress. My parents called you cute, but that’s not the word I’d use, Nan.” 

“Oh, yeah? And what word would you use?” 

“Luscious, gorgeous, and totally fuckable,” he told her huskily. 

“That’s more than one word, Nickerson,” she managed to get out, her pulse rising. 

“Can’t help it – I needed a few words to fully describe how amazing you are.” His hand crept higher, and Nancy reluctantly placed hers over it to stop him. 

“Later, I promise. Now, remember our deal - be a good boy and behave yourself now, and I’ll be a bad girl for you later.” 

Ned‘s eyes lit up at that. He withdrew his hand, leaving it rest on the fabric covering her thigh. 

When the cab pulled up in front of the church, Ned helped her out of the car and paid the driver. They hurried over to join the other members of his family and Ned reluctantly left her to go line up with the other ushers. 

“See you after the reception, babe. I need to go take some pictures now and then again after, but I’ll find you.” He bent his head to give her a quick kiss. 

Have fun, and be good. Don’t pay any attention to the cute wedding guests you’ll be ushering up and down the aisle.” 

“Babe, we already went over this,” Ned murmured against her ear. “I can’t think of anything else except you in my bed tonight.” 

With that he left her, Nancy’s heart pounding as she watched him join the other ushers. 

\-- 

During the ceremony, she caught his eye a few times and they exchanged slow, secret smiles. Once, she noticed his mother’s gaze, just watching how Nancy and her son looked at each other. 

Once the ceremony ended, Nancy waited patiently for Ned to be finished with his ushering duties. She saw him take the hand of the bride, his cousin Laurel, and pull her towards where Nancy was standing. 

“So, this is her, huh?” Laurel teased, poking Ned in the ribs. 

“Sure is. Laurel, this is my girlfriend Nancy; Nancy, this is Laurel – now known as Laurel Chandler. In case you haven’t noticed, she’s the one who got married today.” 

Nancy and Laurel laughed. “Smartie. Hi, Laurel, nice to meet you. You look absolutely beautiful – congratulations!” 

“Thanks,” Laurel beamed. “And it’s great to meet you. Even though today’s been crazy, I just had to stop over and say hi. My cousin can’t stop talking about you.” 

Nancy smiled. “Well, it’s been great to be here and meet everyone – it’s my first time in New York.” 

“Wow, really? It’s great, right? Hey, maybe you and Ned can come out again after Evan and I get back from our honeymoon and we can make a nice weekend of it. It’ll be summertime soon, so you guys will be out of school…” 

“That sounds like fun,” Nancy told her. Ned nodded along enthusiastically. 

“Excellent. Ned, let’s plan it, okay? Ooh, I have to get back now – everyone’s signaling for me to take more pictures – can you believe it? Catch you guys later!” Laurel gave them both quick hugs before moving back to the rest of the bridal party. 

They stood and talked to a few more of his relatives before getting a cab back to the hotel for the reception. 

As they were about to enter the ballroom where the cocktail hour was set up, a tremulous voice called out to them. 

“Edmund? Is that you, sweetheart? Oh, it’s so good to see you again!” 

Nancy blinked in surprise upon hearing someone call Ned by his full name. He gave her a sheepish grin before greeting the elderly woman who was approaching them. She was short – shorter than Ned’s mother, even – and was wearing a dark rose-colored dress with a large flowered pattern. 

“Hello, Aunt Camilla. Nice to see you.” Ned bent all the way down to kiss the older woman on her cheek. 

“I always forget what a handsome young man you are, Edmund,” the woman beamed. “And who’s this pretty girl with the pretty red hair?” 

With Ned’s introduction, Nancy learned that the woman was actually his great-aunt on his mother’s side. She lived in Florida and didn’t get to see the rest of the family very often due to her advanced age. 

“So, Edmund, now that you’ve brought this pretty girl to your cousin’s wedding, does this mean you’ll be next? Your aunt’s getting on in years,” she said, pointing to herself, “and she can’t wait around to see her grandnieces or nephews.” 

Ned chuckled. “We’re not quite ready for that, Aunt Camilla. If anything changes, though, you’ll be the first to know.” 

After the elderly woman walked away, Nancy turned to Ned quizzically. 

“And, I knew I’d get that look from you, Drew. Calm down,” he said mildly. “I’m not asking you to elope with me to Vegas tomorrow – tonight is just about us having fun. I mean, a lot of fun.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively. 

She giggled. “Okay, _Edmund_.” 

Ned rolled his eyes in mock aggravation. “Anddd, I knew that would happen, too.” 

“I met your parents and they seem to love you a lot, but…Ned, that name.” 

He laughed. “Yep, I know. It’s an old family name – I’m named for my great-grandfather.” 

“Edmund. Sounds like you belong in one of those very serious British period dramas on PBS, the ones where everyone goes around in costume and rides horses.” 

“Which explains why I go by Ned.” 

\-- 

Nancy and Ned enjoyed themselves through the cocktail hour and reception, where they danced and drank and laughed. They finally went back to the table for dessert, playfully clashing forks as they shared the different flavors of wedding cake that were available. 

While they chatted with his cousins and their spouses and dates after the dessert courses ended, Ned kept his arm draped over her shoulders. He idly trailed his fingertips over the bare skin of her shoulder and arm, and Nancy actually felt tingly from the contact. 

A few minutes later, the band began to play a popular love song. “Want to dance, Drew?” he asked. 

“Sure thing,” she smiled as they excused themselves from the table. As Ned wound his arms around her waist and she slipped hers over his shoulders, Nancy was struck by how right, now natural it felt. She rested her head on his shoulder as they swayed to the romantic song. She didn’t want the evening to end, but couldn’t wait to go back to the hotel room afterwards so they could finally have sex. _Although, with him, it would feel more like making love_ , she silently admitted to herself. The idea of it shocked her and frightened her a little, making her nerves jangle in her belly. 

Nancy was savoring the feel of being wrapped in his arms, but after a while, she was ready to leave with him. “I really like them a lot, but just how much more time do you want to spend time with your family tonight, Nickerson?” she murmured against his ear. “After all, this party’s winding down and other people are starting to leave.” 

Ned pulled back, surprise in his eyes as he looked at her. “I could probably be ready to get out of here pretty soon,” he answered, recovering quickly. 

“Really? Because I think there’s a perfectly good hotel room waiting for us and I think it’s time we use it,” she replied conversationally, leaning in and kissing his earlobe. 

“Yeah, that sounds like a great plan,” Ned managed. After releasing her, he took Nancy’s hand and led her over to his parents, who warmly bid them a good night. Nancy blushed when Ned’s mother gave her a big hug, and whispered into her ear how glad she was to have finally met her. They promised to meet everyone at brunch at eleven the next morning. 

Nancy and Ned made a few more stops around the room to say thank you and good bye to the new Mr. and Mrs. Chandler and Ned’s aunt and uncle. One of Ned’s other cousins stopped them on the way out and asked if they were going to join the rest of the younger crowd at the after-party in the hotel’s bar; Ned just smirked and told him that they had other plans. 

When they got to the lobby, Ned heaved a sigh of relief. “I thought we’d never get out of there. Serves me right for bringing a woman my family liked so much.” 

Nancy grinned. “They’re really nice people, Ned. They made me feel very comfortable.” 

“I’m glad. They were crazy about you,” he told her, smiling. “My mom pulled me aside earlier and told me that she wants you to come to dinner sometime when we get back home. 

“It’s great that you hit it off so well with them,” Ned continued, “but now I just want you all to myself.” He wound his arms around her waist and gave her a lingering kiss. 

“Well, then, let’s go, Nickerson.” 

They took the elevator up to their room, and careful not to engage in any public displays of affection, as the other car’s passengers were assorted members of his family. 

The minute the door to their room closed behind them, Ned fused his mouth to hers and slid his hands down her bare back to cup her ass. “Umm, God, baby. I want you so much,” he murmured between kisses. 

“I hate the thought of you taking your hands off of me, but let me go change.” Nancy reluctantly pulled away. 

“You look so hot like this…are you sure?” he asked, clearly disappointed. 

“I am. Just a few minutes, okay?” 

“Hey, when you get out, do you want anything from the minibar? 

Nancy shook her head. “I’m just the right amount of drunk for what we’re going to do tonight – I don’t want to go further.” 

He grinned. “Perfect.” 

“By the way, which member of your family is next door, anyway? 

“Probably my grandmother, but she takes out her hearing aids at night, so we’re good. Why do you think I requested that we have the room next to hers, anyway?” he asked with a wink. 

Nancy chuckled. “You are so bad.” 

She walked over to her suitcase and pulled out a few items before closing the bathroom door behind her. Once she was alone, she unzipped her dress and removed her underwear, then examined her naked body in the mirror’s glass. _At least you got that bikini wax_ , she told herself, surveying the neat line of strawberry blonde curls at her pubic area. 

After another minute, she reached for the sheer black mesh chemise and the matching thong she had purchased. After the dress shopping expedition, Nancy had gone out on her own to find something to wear for their after-wedding activities. Bess would’ve talked her into something frilly and lacy, but the idea of it seemed cheesy and over-the-top. 

Once she slipped on the lingerie, she looked at herself again, fluffing out her hair. She was going to fix her makeup, but her cheeks were already flushed and her lips were already red from his kisses. After one more glance at her reflection, she threw back her shoulders and opened the bathroom door. 

Ned was sitting on the bed, waiting for her in his charcoal boxers. The look of desire darkening his brown eyes made her glad she had chosen this lingerie instead of second- guessing herself. His erection was clearly visible through his shorts. 

“You…look…Wow. You are so fucking sexy, Drew. Come closer, though, because I need to know for sure if I can definitely see through that little outfit, or if it’s just my imagination.” 

She smiled and stood in front of him. “You’re not imagining it, Nickerson. I bought it because it’s see-through. I thought you’d like it.” 

Ned reached out and stroked her already-erect nipple through the thin mesh of the chemise. “Sexy as hell, Drew.” 

“Thank you,” she whispered. “You’re not so bad yourself. Where do you find time to work out as much as you do? I know I’ve seen it many times before, but a fucking six-pack?” 

“Oh, this?” he asked, feigning modestly as he pointed to his well-muscled arms and abs. 

“Uh huh,” she said, running her hands down his chest and arms. “God, you are hard as a rock.” 

“Oh, baby, you haven’t seen anything yet,” he leered playfully, pointing down to his tented shorts. 

She giggled. “No, but I can’t wait to.” 

“Is that so?” he growled, grabbing her ass before he fell backwards and pulled her on top of him. 

Nancy reached under the chemise and wriggled around to pull off the thong. Ned gripped her hips to still her. “Um, if you want me to last at all, you need to stop wiggling around on top of me. I’m already turned on as hell, and any movement up against my hard-on could cause me to explode.” 

“Well, we wouldn’t want that,” she cooed, scooting backwards and letting the panties drop to the floor. 

Ned sat up again and put his hand against the crotch of the chemise. “I couldn’t see that night after the party, and you’ve had your panties on every time we’ve fooled around since, but I think you’re a natural redhead, Drew - and I fucking _love it_.” 

She flushed, giggling again. “I am all natural.” 

Ned pulled back the comforter and lay back, pulling her on top of him again. They kissed passionately, their tongues sliding over each other and their hands roaming everywhere. He reached for the hem of her gown and she helped him to pull it up and off. Instead of laying back down on top of him, she straddled his hips with her knees. 

“Mmmmm, much better,” he purred. “And this time, I can see all of you.” He ran one hand over her bare ass and used the other to play with her breasts. “I’m in heaven.” He moved his hand from her ass to the trim line of reddish gold hair at the base of her pubic bone and she shivered when he brushed his palm over it. 

Nancy arched her back and wriggled her hips. It felt so amazing to have his hands all over her without having to stop him or pull back. 

“Do you like to be on top?” Ned asked, his voice husky. 

“Yes,” she groaned, arching even further back when he put both hands on her breasts. “God, yes. Just as long as we fuck soon, I don’t care how.” 

Ned chuckled, and uttered a low moan when she began rubbing her crotch against his boxer-clad erection. “You are killing me, Drew.” 

“Then take off those fucking shorts and get inside me,” she growled. 

That was all of the prompting he needed. Ned reached down and grabbed the elastic of the waistband; she grabbed the other side and helped him to pull them off. Nancy looked down and wrapped one hand around his big, hard cock. “I’m half-tempted to ask if it’ll fit.” 

“Oh, baby, we’ll have to make sure it does. Do you have condoms? If not, I do. As much as I’d love to go without, I think we should be smart.” 

She nodded and opened the bedside drawer. “Here we are,” she replied, waving a packet. Nancy ripped open the foil and took out the condom, sliding it down on his erection with a practiced flick of her wrist. “Flavored.” 

Before he even realized what she was doing, she leaned down and slid her mouth over his cock, bobbing up and down a few times while she twisted her hand around the base. 

“Oh, God,” he moaned loudly. “Your mouth feels so good. I can’t wait for you to give me head later, but right now I want to fuck, baby.” 

She sprang up and spread her knees even wider, grabbing his condom-covered erection and angling it towards her entrance. As the tip entered her, she began to groan as she continued to slide down on him. When he was all the way inside of her, she looked down in amazement. “Holy shit, you are big, Nickerson. I feel like I’m beyond full with ‘The Big Nick’ inside of me.” 

Ned’s chuckle turned into a moan as she spread wider still. “Holy shit, you are tight and wet, Drew. Stop torturing me and ride me, already.” 

She needed no further urging. Nancy leaned back to prop herself up on her hands and began to move. His hips rose up to meet hers as she thrust up and down 

“Oh, my God,” they both moaned simultaneously. 

“Mmmm, baby,” he groaned, grabbing at her hips to thrust even deeper inside of her. “You feel so good.” 

“This is…You are so…”:Nancy panted out the words as her hips rose and fell, “Oh! Oh, God.” 

Ned leaned forward so that his mouth was in line with her breasts. She whimpered loudly when he latched on to one nipple and sucked firmly as she continued to thrust up and down on his cock. 

Nancy thought she would die from the intense pleasure she felt from having him inside of her. She spread her knees a little wider to adjust the angle of penetration – when she felt him thrust again, she moaned loudly. 

“I know I said I wanted to do it this way,” she panted, “but fuck, I want you on top now. I want to feel you on top of me.” 

No sooner did she have the sentence out than Ned gripped her hips and lifted her off of his cock. Her cry of protest died on her lips as he rolled her over onto her back and buried himself hilt-deep inside of her in one hard thrust. 

“Oh, yeah,” she growled. “Like that.” She raked her fingernails down his bare, sweaty back, not caring that she’d probably leave marks. 

“Mmm, fuck yeah,” he agreed, in a low husky voice. “You feel incredible, Nan.” He slid out and drove back into her. “Look at you, all naked and spread out underneath me – the sexiest fucking thing I’ve ever seen.” 

His next thrust was so firm that her breasts bounced with the force. “Oh God, please. Please. “ She bit her lip. 

“What? Tell me, gorgeous. Tell me how you want me to do it.” 

“Oh, God, don’t stop. Please.” Nancy was babbling out the words. “This is so good!” 

“Spread wider for me,” he commanded in that low, rough tone that drove her crazy. 

She obeyed his order and actually shrieked aloud when he reached between then and began to stroke her clit with his thumb. “Ohhhhh, yeah,” she whimpered. 

“Do you know how long I’ve been thinking about this? About being with you like this? From the first time I saw you, Nan. And then every time we would kiss or you’d let me touch you – Jesus, it’s like I’ve been hard and ready for this since that first night. 

“Every night before I went to bed I had to jerk myself off because all I could think about was having sex with you. And this is even better than I imagined – you are tight and wet and – oh, fuck.” 

“Oh, oh, yeah,” she crooned as he continued to thrust and stroke her clit. “Every single time we’ve kissed, I’ve been wet. You feel so good inside me. _God – so good_.” 

“From the minute I saw you, I imagined those long, gorgeous legs wrapped around me as we did this, Drew. So fucking sexy,” he growled, bowing his head to lick one of her erect nipples as he gave another hard thrust. 

“Oh, fuck, yeah. So good!” Nancy fisted one hand in his dark hair while she slipped the other down so she could stroke his balls. 

Ned’s eyes actually rolled back in his head. “Oh, holy fuck, baby. God, yeah. But if you want me to last longer, you’d better stop. Speaking of, please, _please_ tell me you’re close, Nan.” His voice took on a begging quality. 

“Oh, God, I’m almost there,” she moaned. “Just a little more, baby. This is…oh God.” She finished her sentence with a strangled cry as he started to suck the firm pink tip of her left breast, all the while working her clit with his fingers as he continued to fuck her hard. No one else she had ever been with had touched her like this during sex; no one else had ever made her feel so sexy and so turned on. 

Nancy sank her lips into the side of his neck and clenched the muscles at her core to squeeze around him even tighter, feeling herself just on the brink of her climax. 

“God, you’re amazing,” Ned’s voice was raw and downright sexual against the flesh of her breast. His teeth came down around her nipple and he used another finger to rub her clit just before he slammed into her. 

“Oh, right there, yes, ohhhhhhhhhhhh fuck, yeah. Ohmygod, I’m coming,” she shrieked. “Oh, thank God.” 

“Say my name,” he commanded her roughly, his hips still pistoning at a rapid pace. 

“Oh Ned, ohhhhhhhh God,” she screamed. “Thank God – oh, thank **_GOD_**. _Oh, fuck._ Yes!” While Nancy usually liked to make noise during sex, she had never before screamed during orgasm – she’d never felt that good, or that relaxed before. 

Ned gave one more final thrust before giving in to his own climax and collapsing on top of her. She felt her inner muscles clench weakly a few more times as she lay sprawled beneath him, exhausted, deliriously happy and unbelievably satisfied. 

They lay like that, panting and spent, for a few minutes. Nancy was disappointed when he rolled off of her and settled on his side, but was pleased when he immediately pulled her to his chest. 

Ned was the first to speak. “I thought heard you say, ‘ _Thank God_ ’ during a critical moment…Usually I hear ‘ _Oh my God_ ’, but that was a new one, Nan.” 

Nancy flushed. “Oh, not that you’re bragging about the number of times you’ve made women see God or anything, Nickerson,” she countered. 

He chuckled. “What can I say? I have mad skills.” She swatted at his arm as he continued to chuckle. “But they were nothing compared to you, baby - amazing.” He nuzzled at her neck, and Nancy felt so relaxed she felt like she could melt into a puddle. 

“Always with the sweet talk, Nickerson,” she sighed, looping her arm around his head. 

“It’s true,” he murmured against her skin. “It has never been like this for me before, Nancy.” He pulled back and looked directly into her eyes. The warmth and tenderness there startled her, and for a moment, she thought she’d start to cry. 

_Stupid_ , she chastised herself, _don’t be one of those stupid girls who gets all emotional when a guy gives her an orgasm and begins to confuse lust for love_. Although, she had to admit that she had never had an orgasm like that before, which is probably why she was all mixed up. 

She made herself give him a coy grin. “Eh, you weren’t bad,” she teased. 

He smirked and ran a hand down her strawberry blonde waves, which were now mussed. “I should’ve known you’d take a serious moment and make a joke out of it, Drew,” he sighed. 

Nancy looked away, feeling herself flush. “Sorry,” she mumbled. “This was…It’s never been like this for me before, either,” she admitted reluctantly. 

Ned nipped at her neck, causing her to turn back and face him again. “That’s better,” he replied. “Okay, so you tried to change the subject, but I’m not letting you get away with it. What did you mean when you said, ‘ _Thank God_ ’?” 

Nancy cursed herself for not having better control during her climax, but it had been so damn amazing that she just could not help herself. “I…I…” Ned shot out his hand and began ticking her ribs, causing her to giggle. “What is this, tickle torture?” 

He nodded. “Not stopping until you tell me.” 

“Fine!” she shot back, trying to sound exasperated, which wasn’t easy through her giggles. “Fine. Part of it was….Everything has been so amazing between us and we’re so compatible in every other area, I was nervous that we wouldn’t be in this…That we’d have all of this buildup and anticipation and it would be terrible.” She exhaled loudly. “And then we’d have to pretend and it’d be all awkward and things wouldn’t be the same anymore…” 

“Ye of little faith,” he told her, replacing the tickling with slow, gentle strokes of his palm against her ribcage. The feel of his hand on her body again made her feel warm with comfort and also began to spark her desire again. “I knew from the first day that it would be spectacular. From when you started giving me shit and getting all riled up at everything I said, I thought, ‘Damn, if she’s this fiery now, imagine what she’ll be like in bed.’ 

“Is this the whole, ‘you’re hot when you’re mad’ patronizing bullshit, Nickerson?” she exclaimed, pretending to be offended. 

Ned waved a hand at her dismissively. “Not when it’s true,” he replied lightly. “But, come on – once we kissed for the first time, it was like, ‘holy shit’. Then every time we fooled around…How could you not know it would be incredible?” 

She shrugged. “What can I say? I have a long history of disappointments in my life, Nickerson.” 

“Okay, so what was the rest of it?” When she looked at him, confused, he continued. “You said that part of the reason was that you were worried about whether I’d be good in bed; what was the rest?” 

“Oh! Just that…it’s been a really time since I’ve come. “She bit her lip. “To climax. Orgasm, you know?” she clarified unnecessarily. _God, shut up, Drew!_ she berated herself. _I think he figured it out without you rambling on and on!_

The grin on Ned’s face kept getting broader and broader as she spoke. “Oh, _really_? So, now I’m dying to know…Before this, when was the last time you had sex?” 

Nancy wished the phone would ring or someone would knock on their door; anything to stop this conversation. Her face was turning bright red, she was sure of it. “Eight months ago? I think?” 

“You haven’t had an orgasm in eight months?” Ned pulled back his head, his tone incredulous. 

_God, where is the fire alarm when you need it?_ Nancy thought frantically. _Can’t one of his drunken relatives just pull it already?_ “That’s not what you asked, Nickerson,” she finally managed to croak out. “You asked when I last had sex.” 

He looked puzzled for a minute, and she could tell the exact moment when he figured it out. “That dumb bastard,” he smirked. “So, some guy was lucky to get you into his bed and then didn’t take the extra step to make sure you had a good time? Dumbass,” he declared, shaking his head. 

“How do you know it wasn’t me?” she ventured. 

“Baby, I just got the best fuck of my life, so I sure as hell know it wasn’t you,” he replied. “Okay, so if he didn’t get the job done, you haven’t done…other stuff to get yourself there?” 

“Um, you’ve been to my apartment, Nickerson,” she reminded him. “It’s very small and the walls are very thin. That would be way too embarrassing to have to explain away to my dad.” 

He chuckled. “Good point. So, does that mean you don’t like …aids?” 

Nancy was amused. “That gleam in your eye is a very naughty one, Nickerson. I have no objection, but the one I used to have was way too noisy, so I had to get rid of it. And then, when I…get there…I kinda make a lot of noise myself.” 

“I noticed,” he grinned. “And loved every second of it. Hell, that made it even hotter. Hearing a hot, sexy, gorgeous woman screaming and moaning her pleasure while I’m fucking the hell out of her is an incredible ego boost. ” 

“Oh, like you need another one,” she blushed, but she loved his praise. 

“So, if we got some toys…You’d be up for that?” 

“Would you?” she returned. “You wouldn’t see it as a threat to your masculinity or anything?” 

“You were clearly sleeping with the wrong guys before you met me,” he decided. “If it were all you ever wanted to do, then maybe I’d be threatened? But watching you come will always be hot,” he told her, kissing her shoulder. 

Well, we have the rest of tonight, and a lot of tomorrow morning. Gives you plenty of time to watch it happen over and over again,” she replied, playfully raising one reddish-blonde eyebrow. “That is, if you think you’re _up to_ it.” Her tone held a note of challenge as she deliberately gazed down at his already-hardening cock. 

Nancy had barely finished the sentence before he rolled her onto her back again. “Challenge accepted, baby. I’ll show you just how many times I’ll be up to it,” Ned growled as he began nipping at her breast again. 

“Ooh, promise?” she cooed as he slid one hand down between her thighs, not surprised to find that she was already starting to get wet again. “God, that feels good, _Edmund_.” 

Ned started to laugh. “Only you could make that sound sexy.” 

“Only _you_ could _be_ a sexy Edmund. Seriously – possibly the only one who’s ever lived. _Oh, God, Edmund, take your sword and plunder my depths. Ravage my field, Master Edmund,_ ” she cooed in a mock sexy voice. 

By now, they were both laughing. “See, you’re kidding, but this is totally turning me on. Keep going, Nan.” 

“Ooh, Edmund, show me how you’re the lord of my manor.” Nancy could barely get it out through her giggles. 

He grabbed another condom and quickly sheathed his now-fully erect cock. “Don’t stop, Mistress Drew.” Ned fitted himself to her opening and began to enter her. 

“Yes, Edmund, give me that nice, big weapon and…” Her giggles turned to a low moan as he began to stroke inside of her. 

Ned not-so-gently pinched her nipple. “Nothing else to say, Drew?” he teased. 

Nancy sighed with pleasure as he continued to thrust. “Nothing except fuck me, and fuck me hard.” 

“Oh, yeah, that’s good,” Ned growled. 

“Don’t stop, Edmund. Oh, mmmm, that’s good,” she sighed when he began rubbing her clit. 

“You feel so damn amazing, Nan. Mmmm, God.” He pushed into her even deeper, and Nancy opened her legs wider, wrapping them around his waist. 

“Oh, yeah,” she crooned. “Oh, that’s so good. How the hell are you so good at this? I should’ve known, though – I mean, you can do _anything_. I’ll bet if I asked you to detonate a nuclear device, you’d shrug and figure it out.” Nancy dragged her nails down his back as he continued rutting against her in long, smooth strokes. 

He chuckled again, shaking his head. “Only you could me laugh during sex, Nan. Seriously. You are too damn much.” 

“And you can’t get enough,” she told him lightly. 

“You’re damn right,” he replied, looking into her eyes with a serious expression. 

Nancy looked away, suddenly feeling uncomfortable and exposed. Her nudity and the fact that he was still thrusting into her felt right and natural, but the emotion in his gaze was just too much for her to deal with right at that moment. 

“Oh, that’s good,” she murmured as he continued to finger her clit while he fucked her. “It feels so good when you do that, Ned.” 

Ned didn’t reply, just pushed her hips against the mattress with his thrusts, going even deeper. 

“Yeah, umm, that’s it,” she told him encouragingly. “Oh, oh, shit, I’m…Oh, _oh yes!_ _Yes! Oh, Ned! Yes!_!” Just like the first time, Nancy began to scream as her orgasm unfolded, again unable to hold back against the incredible pleasure he was giving her. 

He stroked into her a few more times before coming with a loud groan. Nancy stroked his bare back as he panted on top of her, praying that he wouldn’t mention what had happened between them a few minutes earlier. This was just sex – nothing more. 


	13. Chapter 13

The next morning, Nancy and Ned both cursed loudly when the alarm went off. Neither of them had gotten more than two hours’ sleep; any time one of them would start to doze off, the other would put their hands on them, and that would start another round. 

“God, do we have to go to this stupid brunch?” Ned muttered, his head under the covers, buried in her hair. “I’d much rather stay here so I can keep doing incredibly dirty things to you.” 

Nancy groaned as she attempted to sit up. Her thighs were aching, but not nearly as badly as the flesh between her thighs was. They had had more sex last night and that morning than she had had in the last two years combined, and she had lost count of the number of orgasms he’d given her. “I think we probably do need to make an appearance, just so we can show your family that we aren’t spending all morning in bed. They liked me, and I don’t want them to think I’m slutty.” 

Ned’s chuckle was muffled by the comforter. “Trust me, that’s the last thing they’ll think about you. Although, some of the stuff you did last night could _definitely_ be considered slutty…” his voice trailed off teasingly. 

“And you loved every second of it,” she countered playfully. 

After a shower where they could barely keep their hands off of each other to wash up, it took Nancy several attempts to get dressed - Ned kept stripping off her clothing after she put it on. 

“It’s your fault,” he told her. “Now that I’ve seen everything that’s under there, I really don’t want you to cover it up.” 

Finally, she was dressed in a simple light-blue cotton dress with a white shrug, her hair up in a ponytail. 

“Okay?” she asked, turning to face Ned after checking her reflection in the mirror. 

“More than okay,” he told her huskily, wrapping his arms around her waist and letting one hand caress her ass. “Beautiful, sexy, hot, with a great ass…” When he began nibbling at her neck, Nancy had to use all of her discipline to push him away. 

“Behave yourself, Nickerson. If you’re a good boy, we may have enough time after brunch to come up here for a quickie before we have to leave for the airport,” she teased. “Although, if we do it again, I may not be able to walk out of here - seriously, Nickerson, you may have worn it out.” 

Ned flashed her a wicked grin. “Challenging me again? Besides, the thought of you hobbling out of here because I’ve fucked you senseless is kind of turning me on.” 

“God, no,” she groaned. “I have to be able to sit down on the flight home. And through brunch with your parents.” 

\-- 

When they walked into the restaurant downstairs for brunch, they were holding hands. Ned’s mother gave them a big wave, signaling them to join her at the table where she was sitting. 

“Good morning!” Edith beamed, standing up to give both Nancy and Ned hugs and kisses on the cheek. “Nancy, you sit here next to me; Ned, you can take the chair next to your father,” she told him, pointing to the empty seat opposite the one she wanted Nancy to have. “He’s up at the buffet already –could not wait for breakfast!” 

“I know the feeling, Mom – I’m starved!” 

“How unlike you, Ned,” his mother teased, and Nancy laughed. “Nancy, I’m sure you know by now that my son has a healthy appetite.” 

Nancy tried not to blush at the look Ned was giving her across the table, and she kicked him lightly to get him to stop. “Oh, I’m well aware of it, Mrs. Nickerson. I really don’t know why he isn’t overweight.” 

“Lots and lots of hard work, babe,” he told her breezily. “I am very disciplined. Anyway, let’s stop talking about food and get some. Ready?” 

Before she could rise to join him, Edith put her hand on Nancy’s arm. “Ned, you run on ahead, okay? I want to take this time for a little girl talk with Nancy, if that’s all right?” she asked, looking at Nancy quizzically. 

Nancy smiled and tried to hide her surprise. “Of course. That would be nice,” she replied shyly. 

When Ned had walked away, his mother turned to face her. “Sorry, I hope you’re not starving!” 

Nancy laughed. “No, I’m fine.” 

Edith relaxed. “Good. I know I told you yesterday, but I wanted to say it again. I’m so glad that Ned brought you here this weekend. It’s been ages and ages since we’ve heard him talk about a woman, and even longer since we’ve met one of his girlfriends. It’s nice to see him so happy, and you’re such a big part of that.” 

Nancy flushed delightedly. “Well, he makes me very happy, too,” she said simply. 

“I also heard about the hard time you gave Ned about going out with him,” Edith said, obviously amused. 

“Yes, well, about that…” Nancy paused, unsure of what to say. “I’m really sorry…” 

“Don’t you dare apologize,” Edith told her, a broad grin crossing her face. “I’m thrilled that you did it.” 

Nancy was confused. “You are?” 

“I am well aware that my son is a very handsome, successful, accomplished man, and that women fall all over him because he’s such a great catch. I’m not bragging, mind you – I’m just speaking the truth.” Nancy chuckled, but didn’t interrupt. 

“But everything’s always come so easily to Ned – school, sports, friendships, girls... Jim and I have worked very hard to make sure that he hasn’t taken that for granted, or become lazy. We’re both proud of ourselves that he turned into such a hard-working, responsible man.” 

“And you should be,” Nancy finally broke in. “He’s a really good man.” 

Edith smiled. “Thank you. And all we’ve wanted was for him to find a really good woman, one who would appreciate him for the man he is, not just for how he appears on the outside. From everything Ned’s told us, and from what Jim and I have witnessed so far, it seems like you’re that woman.” 

Nancy flushed again. “Honestly? When I first met him, I thought he was too good to be true. Like, just another arrogant jerk who was full of himself, someone who’d get tired of me when the challenge was gone. But the more I got to know him, the more I realized he was different…Kind, funny, warm, honest, smart…” She shrugged, smiling shyly. “It was really nice.” 

Edith grinned, patting her hand. “He thinks the world of you, too. You have to see his face when he talks about you to his father and I – it’s so sweet. I’ve never ever seen him like this with anyone before, you know.” 

Just then, Ned came back carrying two full plates. “Okay, I’m back - you can stop talking about me now!” 

Nancy and Edith laughed. “I’ll have you know that we had way more important things to discuss than you, Nickerson,” Nancy told him haughtily. “By the way, did you leave any food for anyone else?” 

Ned playfully stuck out his tongue at her before setting down one of the plates in front of her. “Excuse me, Drew, but I thought I’d be a gentleman and get you something to eat while you chatted with my mom. If you don’t want it, though…” He reached across the table and began to pick up the plate, laughing when Nancy swatted his hand away. 

“Showing off for your mom, but I’ll accept it,” she teased, her blue eyes sparkling as she picked up her fork and settled her napkin onto her lap. 

“Hey! I’m always good to you!” Ned protested, a gleam in his eye. 

Nancy dipped her head in acknowledgement of his comment. “I’ll give you that, Nickerson. You are always very thoughtful and sweet. I just don’t tell you very often because I don’t want you to get a big head.” 

Ned grinned at her from across the table. “It’ll be our little secret. Mom, did you want me to get you anything else before I dig in here?” 

Edith had been watching their interaction with great amusement. “No, you go ahead and eat, Ned. I already had something. I’ve just been enjoying getting to know Nancy.” Her son smiled at her before taking a big forkful of scrambled eggs. “Did you tell her that we would like to have the two of you over for dinner in a few weeks? I mean, I know your schedules are kind of crazy with school and work, but it would be lovely if you could make it over some night…” 

Nancy nodded. “That would be really nice. If we can plan it after I take my LSAT, it would be even better.” 

“Oh, yes, I remember Ned saying that the big day is coming soon. While I’m sure you can’t wait for it to be over, I think he’s a little disappointed that it’ll mean the end of seeing you in class,” Edith confided, taking a sip of coffee. 

Nancy glanced from her plate to Ned’s face. “I hadn’t even thought about that,” she admitted. The thought of it instantly made her more than a little sad, and she wondered if their relationship would die off when they didn’t have the opportunity to see each other at least twice a week. 

It was as if he had read her mind. “But it won’t be the end of us,” he added hastily. “We can still keep our Monday and Wednesday dates, and school will soon be out for the semester, so we can hopefully juggle everything a little better. I think it’ll actually be easier for us to be together.” 

Nancy nodded, but she still couldn’t quite shake the feeling that things would change between them. 

During the rest of the brunch, Nancy and Ned chatted with his other relatives, and Nancy was again struck by how comfortable it felt to be with them. Everyone was so nice and welcoming, and made her feel at ease. For a crazy second, Nancy could imagine them as _her_ family, spending holidays and weekends and events such as this one with them, laughing and talking, her hand in Ned’s or his arm around her shoulders. 

_Calm down, there, Drew_ , she told herself sternly. _You just met these people and you haven’t been going out with Ned that long. Just because you’re sleeping with him now doesn’t really mean anything. It’s just sex - nothing more. Sex with a funny, warm, kind, intelligent, sexy man who knows what he’s doing in bed, but still. Stop trying to read more into it than it is._

__

“Nan?” She snapped out of her reverie to find Ned glancing at her with a slightly concerned expression on his face. “Nan, is everything okay, baby?” 

“Yes, sure, of course,” she told him, pasting a smile onto her lips. “Why?” 

“Well, because I’ve asked you the same question three times, and you haven’t answered. Also because you look completely lost in thought.” 

“Nope, I’m fine. Just thinking about the night of great sex I just had,” she replied, pushing her negative thoughts out of her head. _There’s no use in obsessing over it – just enjoy the rest of the time you have left with Ned today. It’ll be over soon enough._ That thought made her even more depressed, but she made sure to give him a teasing grin. 

Ned returned it, linking his fingers through hers. “Hey, what a coincidence! The same thing happened to me last night,” he murmured. “I hooked up with this smokin’ hot woman and she gave me a night of the best sex I’ve ever had.” 

“Well, aren’t you lucky,” she told him lightly, smoothing down his collar. 

“Sure am,” he chuckled. “I’m the luckiest guy here.” 

“So, what was your question that I so rudely ignored?” she ventured. 

“Oh. I just wanted to know if you wanted some more champagne.” He pointed to her nearly-empty flute. 

“Trying to get me drunk again?” Nancy joked. 

“Am I that transparent? Hey, just doing what I can to guarantee that I’ll get that quickie after this.” He picked up their joined hands and brushed his lips against her knuckles, making her shiver. 

“After last night, do you really want it to be quick, Ned?” she countered teasingly. 

He sighed. “No. What I really want is for us to spend the entire rest of the day in bed, but I can’t think of a way to make that happen.” His face suddenly brightened. “Hey, what if I hide your boarding pass? Then you’d have to stay, right?” 

She giggled. “Sorry, but no. Plus, you have a class to teach tomorrow night, Mr. Nickerson.” 

“Shit,” he groaned. “It was tough enough when I had to stand in front of that classroom and pretend that there was nothing between us before; now, though…I have to admit that all I’m gonna be able to think about is you, naked. Or, wearing that sexy black lingerie. Or, you riding me. Or, you digging your nails into my back as I-.” 

Nancy hastily pressed her fingers over his lips to get him to stop talking. “Stop! Otherwise, I am never going to be able to concentrate in class tomorrow, and I paid good money for that course!” 

Ned laughed. “Well, your instructor would be more than happy to give you some private lessons.” He raised his eyebrows in a mock leer. 

“Oh, I’ll bet,” she countered teasingly. 

“And now I’m turned on again, so how about we sneak upstairs and-“ 

Ned’s sentence was cut off when one of his cousins plopped himself down in the chair opposite his and began chatting about the wedding the previous evening. Nancy could tell that Ned was trying not to be rude, and patted his knee reassuringly under the table. 

\-- 

As it turned out, Ned never got his quickie. So many of his relatives stopped them in their quest to get upstairs to their room that they barely had enough time to pack and check out of the hotel before grabbing a cab to the airport. During the flight back to Chicago, Ned laughingly tried to convince her to join him in the lavatory for an initiation into the Mile High Club, but she slapped his hands away. 

When they got back to O’Hare and walked to the lot where his car was parked, Nancy could feel herself getting depressed again at the thought of their weekend coming to an end. It would be so difficult to have to sleep by herself that night, after she had spent the previous night in Ned’s arms. 

“Hey, baby, what’s going through your head?” Ned asked, tugging on her ponytail. “You’ve been kind of quiet for a while now, which is very unlike you.” 

“Just…Just disappointed that our weekend away is over,” she admitted. 

Ned stopped walking and let go of his suitcase handle to put his hands on her shoulders. 

“I am, too,” he told her with a little smile. “It has been so amazing to have two whole days in a row with you. And a whole night,” he continued, in a low, sexy voice. 

She flushed. “I know. And now it’s coming to an end.” 

“But, baby, we’ll see each other tomorrow after class, right? And on Wednesday. And on Sunday. And, as soon as school is over for the semester, we can plan another long weekend away. Like Laurel said, we can plan to visit her and Evan in New York, or we can go to one of those little bed and breakfasts by the lake…Or, hell, we could even get a room at a nice hotel here in Chicago. 

“This weekend with you…It was the best time I’ve had in years, Nan. Thank you for agreeing to take off of work and come with me. My family was crazy about you, and I had so much fun being with you.” 

She felt the sweetness rise up in her again upon hearing his words. “Thank you for inviting me, Ned. Really. I had the best time.” 

He drew her close for a tender kiss. “So, don’t be sad anymore, okay? This time together just proves that we need to plan another getaway, and we can do that soon. In the meantime, we’ll have our standing dates.” 

Nancy smiled. “Sorry to disappoint you, but we won’t be able to have sex at my place during our study dates there. My Dad would not like you very much anymore if he walked in on us doing it. “ 

“Yeah, I figured as much,” he grumbled playfully. “But that’s okay – you can still get Hannah to bake something, right?” 

She gave him a teasing shove. “I should have known.” 

They resumed walking to his car. “So, we’ll just be sure to do it at my place twice, to make up for it,” Ned told her seriously. “And Sunday nights? Baby, on Sunday nights, all bets are off.” 

“Great – so now that we’re having sex, are you ever going to take me out for meals or movies, or are we just going to spend our time in your bed?” 

“How about half and half?” he proposed, smiling. “Oh, and speaking of…” 

By now they were at his car, and his hand hovered above the handle of the passenger side door. 

“What?” 

“What time did you tell your dad that you’d be back tonight?” He raised an eyebrow invitingly. 

Nancy chuckled. “I didn’t. I promised I’d call to let him know when we landed, but I didn’t give him a specific time that I’d be home.” 

“Well, then…Can I interest you in maybe coming back to my place? Mike and Jan are still in Milwaukee, and Howie’s still away on business, so we’d be alone…” 

“Oooh, and what should I tell my dad?” she teased. 

He shrugged exaggeratedly. “That traffic was _terrible_ around O’Hare. All kinds of construction and accidents…Then, of course, we were hungry, so we stopped to get something to eat, and, wouldn’t you know it? More construction!” 

Nancy giggled. “So, how long will we be…stuck in traffic?” 

“Oh, I don’t know…I’m imagining a few _hours_ , at least. I mean, you know what Chicago traffic’s like, right?” 

She nodded vigorously. “I do.” 

“Then, we’d better get going. Although, I have no idea how I’m gonna keep my mind on driving when all I want to think about is you, naked in my bed.” 

Nancy shivered as she had the same thought. “Drive fast, Nickerson?” 

“It’s like you read my mind, Drew.” 


	14. Chapter 14

Two weeks later, Nancy and Ned decided to get some drinks at a hot new downtown bar after going to a concert for one of their usual Sunday night dates. After they got a table and put in their drink orders, Ned excused himself to go to the restroom. 

Nancy was so engrossed with checking her phone that she didn’t notice the short blonde girl who came up to the table. 

“Um, hey! You’re Nancy, right?” 

Nancy looked up then, and her heart sank when she recognized the girl from the LSAT prep class; she and her friend had been the ones to express disbelief that Ned was actually interested in Nancy. She was dressed in a sparkly blue dress that was so tight that it appeared painted on, a fuchsia belt, and a pair of citron-colored spike-heeled pumps. Nancy was sure that Bess would have declared the outfit as fashionable, but all she could see was a blinding clash of colors. 

“Yes,” Nancy admitted, aware that she could hardly ignore the girl, as much as she wanted to. “And you’re…Bridget, right?” 

“That’s right? From LSAT class? I sit with my friend Lisa?” 

Now Nancy remembered her as Question Girl, and was irritated. She was also nervous that Ned would come back before Bridget left and they would have to try and explain away the reason they were out together. “Yeah, that’s right. Nice to see you,” Nancy lied. 

“Thanks? I’m here with a few girlfriends, trying to unwind? You?” 

Nancy had been so hypnotized by the cadence of her voice that she initially didn’t realize that Bridget was asking her an actual question that required a response. “Oh, yeah, just here with a friend,” she replied, trying to sound vague. “Well, it was good to see you…” Her voice trailed off when she realized that Bridget wasn’t going to take the hint and leave. 

“Hey, a few of us are putting together an extra study group right before the LSAT? We’ll get together at the library after class? Did you want to join us? Maybe then you can tell us your secret to getting our sexy teacher’s attention?” Bridget added coyly. 

Nancy’s thoughts raced. She didn’t want to say no and add more suspicion to the rest of the group, but at the same time, she didn’t want to take away her precious extra time with Ned. As she was about to answer, she saw Ned come up behind Bridget. 

Just as he realized who it was and tried to back away, Bridget turned around and caught sight of him. _Oh, shit,_ Nancy thought frantically. _Now the secret’s out. This girl will tell everyone on the campus of the University of Chicago that I’m a whore who’s doing her instructor and they’ll all laugh at me the minute I walk into class._

__

“Ned Nickerson?” Bridget beamed. “Wow, what a coincidence, seeing you here? After I was just talking about you? And, even more of a coincidence that you’re here with Nancy? How about that?” 

“Yeah, well, we happened to run into each other tonight and thought we’d grab a drink,” Ned lied smoothly. Nancy glanced at him, praying that he had convinced Bridget. 

“Do you happen to come here a lot? Because if that’s true, I may just have to start showing up more often?” Bridget cooed, outrageously batting her eyelashes at him as she stuck out her chest and ass. 

It took everything in Nancy’s power not to roll her eyes at Bridget’s blatant flirting. _It’s amazing how she’s totally throwing herself at him right in front of me_ , she thought darkly. _I know she knows there’s something going on between us._

“Nah, I was just running a few errands in the neighborhood and thought I’d stop in,” Ned replied, deliberately vague. 

Bridget’s expression was coy. “Really? So you don’t live around here? And here I was hoping that I could run into you again so I could buy you a drink sometime?” 

“Nope, I’m very rarely here,” Ned told her, a smile still plastered to his face. 

“That’s a shame? Because I’d love to buy you that drink?” Bridget replied, licking her lips and staring directly into his eyes. 

_Really fucking subtle,_ Nancy thought sourly, trying to make sure that her face didn’t reveal her annoyance. _Why doesn’t she just start taking off her clothes and grinding his lap?_

__

“Maybe some other time,” he replied noncommittally. 

“Aren’t your friends waiting for you?” Nancy asked sweetly. 

“Oh, that’s okay, they can wait?” Bridget insisted, throwing a quick glare at Nancy before giving Ned an artificially bright smile. She stepped closer to him, ignoring Nancy completely. 

“Nah, I don’t want to keep you from them,” Ned insisted, sounding slightly relieved that Nancy had given him an opening to shoo away Bridget. “Anyway, our drinks are here, so….See you in class on Monday?” His tone was polite but firm as the waitress came over and set their glasses on the table. 

Bridget pouted. “Okay? See you then? Bye, Ned, and let me know if you change your mind about that drink?” 

“Will do,” Ned told her, picking up his scotch and soda and taking a sip. 

When she walked away, both Ned and Nancy heaved huge sighs of relief. 

“I am so sorry about that,” Nancy told him, taking a huge gulp of her vodka and tonic. 

“I didn’t have time to warn you away.” 

“Nah, not your fault,” he said, waving his hand dismissively. “She’s like a dog with a bone.” 

“Yeah, a dog with her eye on getting a bone from you,” she retorted before she could stop herself. Ned snickered at the double entendre. “Do you think she’s gonna say something to the rest of the class, or to your bosses?” Nancy worried, twisting and untwisting a lock of reddish-blonde hair around her index finger. 

“I hope not, but if she does, we’re not doing anything wrong,” Ned pointed out, reaching across the table and taking one of her hands in his. “I checked all of my employment materials, the contract I signed, and the online information, and there is no mention at all of rules or procedures about instructor dating their students. Future lawyer, remember?” he reminded her. 

Nancy chuckled but turned serious again. “I know, but…While we’re not doing anything wrong, it’s not exactly great for my reputation if everyone thinks I’m doing the teacher.” 

Ned’s grin was wicked. “But you are doing the teacher,” he pointed out playfully. “Speaking of, how come we haven’t done any role-playing about that?” 

She made a face at him. “Like me putting on a Catholic school uniform and saying, ‘ _Oh, Mr. Nickerson,_ _I’ll do anything to get a better score’_?” Nancy made her voice breathy. 

As he raised his eyebrows in a leer, a lustful grin on his face, she rolled her eyes, tossing her cocktail napkin at him. 

“That turned you on, didn’t it?” she asked incredulously. 

“Uh, the thought of you in a short skirt - maybe without anything underneath it - offering to do anything to make me happy? Yes – yes, it did, Nan.” 

“The dumbest cliché, and yet a smart man like you responds to it,” she marveled. 

“You can’t blame a guy for trying,” he sighed, his expression one of mock disappointment. 

“Yes, I can. I can so-” Her reply was cut off when Ned leaned across the small table and covered her mouth with his. 

Nancy sighed as his tongue gently brushed hers before he reluctantly pulled away. “Umm, okay, you’re forgiven this time,” she murmured, setting back into her chair. 

\-- 

As Nancy walked into the classroom the next evening, she scanned the chairs and was relieved to see that Bridget hadn’t yet arrived. _Maybe she’ll show up right before class starts and won’t have the opportunity to give me a hard time_ , she thought hopefully. Nancy settled into her usual seat and said hello to George, whose notebooks and class materials were already out on her desk. 

“Hey, Nance,” George greeted her. 

“Hey, George,” Nancy replied, taking out her practice workbook, pens, and notebook. “How was that new restaurant where Kevin took you this weekend?” 

“Good! Crazy expensive, but good – since it was our anniversary, he said I was worth it,” George giggled, obviously pleased. “So, how was your weekend?” 

“Yes, how _was_ your weekend, Nancy? Did you have any interesting plans? See any interesting people?” a too-sweet voice asked from behind her. 

_Oh, shit_ , Nancy thought, turning around to see Bridget and her equally bleached blonde friend Lisa standing there, giant smirks on their overly made-up faces. 

“My weekend was fine, thanks, Bridget. It was nice running into you at that bar,” she added, trying to throw the other girl off. 

“Oh, it was good to see you, too? Especially seeing who you were with? Who knew that Instructor Nickerson likes to drink scotch and soda?” Nancy winced as Bridget’s voice got louder and louder. “Oh, wait, _you_ know that, don’t you? Because you were out drinking with him last night? But maybe that’s not all you were doing with him last night?” Bridget asked coyly. 

Nancy tried to stay calm, but she could feel the flush building from her chest to her face. “We told you, Bridget, we just happened to run into each other and decided to get a drink,” she said quietly, praying that her voice wouldn’t wobble as she told the lie. 

“Uh huh? So, after I left and came back a half hour later when I realized I’d left my phone? I saw the two of you holding hands with your tongue down his throat and your foot halfway up his pant leg?” 

Nancy’s stomach clenched as she realized that the classroom was now almost full and the rest of the students were listening to their conversation. “Bridget…” 

Bridget’s friend Lisa cut her off. “So if you ‘ _just happened to run into each other_ ’ and were doing that right afterwards, that makes you some kind of a slut, right? Unless you’ve been fucking our instructor all of this time and have been hiding it from everyone? Which is it, Nancy?” 

“Did you just call me a slut?” Nancy snapped, standing up. “I think the two of you had better sit down - **_now_**.”   
  


“So you _are_ fucking him?” Bridget said triumphantly. “Well, I guess that would explain why you always seem to do so well on the practice questions we go over in class? I guess you guys go over them in bed, right? Or maybe when you’re on your knees…?” 

Nancy’s face burned and she was about to reply with a nasty comment when George also stood up. “Okay, I’ve heard enough. Nancy does well on those practice tests because she, I don’t know – _studies her ass off_? Maybe if you spent more time studying and less time trying to make yourself all cute for our instructor – who couldn’t care less about either of you, by the way - then you’d do well on your tests, too.” 

“No one asked you,” Lisa snapped. “You’re just jealous. I mean, look at you.” She pointed one French-tipped finger at George’s short hair, plain t-shirt and jeans. 

“Oh, yes, I’m so jealous of your fake tans and your fake boobs and your trashy clothes,” George smirked. “Meanwhile, the both of you are just pissed that Nickerson hasn’t been taken in by that shit. It just burns you up, doesn’t it? I mean, come on – everyone in here has seen how the two of you throw yourselves at him after every damn class. Prancing around in those tight clothes, bending over his desk so he can’t miss your silicone tits… Am I right?” George turned to the girls around them, who nodded and made sounds of agreement. 

“So the exact thing you’re giving Nancy shit about is what the both of you have been dying for,” put in Lorraine, the tall African-American girl who had joked with Nancy and George about Ned’s attractiveness several weeks earlier. “And, like George said, everyone here has seen the two of you coming onto Nickerson after class. Meanwhile, he and Nancy barely speak at all in here, and if they do, then it’s about what we’re discussing in class.” 

“So you aren’t going to stand up for yourself at all here, Drew?” Bridget asked silkily. “You’re gonna let your little friends do it for you? Because you know I’m telling the truth? How you’re fucking your way to a top score? How you’re a total whore?” 

Nancy felt a huge wave of relief that others were coming to her defense, but it was time to stick up for herself. “First of all, my personal life is none of your damn business,” she said icily. “Secondly, the LSATs are administered by the Law School Admission Council, so I could fuck our instructor and the instructor of every other LSAT prep course in the country and it still wouldn’t do a damn thing to improve my score. I study for _hours_ every day, so if I do well on the test, that’ll be the reason. 

“And, finally? If I were fucking our instructor, it wouldn’t be against the rules – check it out yourself, if you’re really curious. But I’m sure you already have, because you have been doing everything possible to get even the slightest chance to drop your panties for him. Sorry, but it’s not my fault that he’s just not that into you. 

“Now, Elle Woods, you and your Chihuahua Bruiser over here,” Nancy gestured to Lisa, “need to back the fuck off, shut the fuck up, and sit the fuck down.” With that, Nancy dropped back into her seat, noticing for the first time that Ned had walked into the classroom and was watching the scene around her desk with astonishment. 

“Is there a problem here?” he asked firmly. “Because I’d like to start class and I’m sure the rest of the students here would like that, too.” 

“No, we’re fine,” Bridget said, throwing Ned a too-sweet smile. She and Lisa each gave Nancy and George one more glare before flouncing back to their seats. 

\-- 

After class, Nancy turned to the girls around her. “Look, I just want to thank all of you for sticking up for me earlier-” 

George cut her off. “Don’t start. They are awful bitches and the only reason they’re starting shit with you is because they are jealous as hell.” The other girls nodded their agreement. 

“If either of them thought they had a shot, they wouldn’t give a shit about the fact that he’s their teacher and they’re the students. Ignore them for the next few weeks. Oh, and tell us how long you’ve been seeing Professor Hottie!” Lorraine gushed. 

\-- 

Nancy was pacing as she waited for Ned in the library, trying to burn off some of the nervous energy that had been building in her since the fight with Bridget and Lisa. 

“Shit, Nan, I’m so sorry I’m late,” he announced, hurrying up to her. “As you can imagine, I had a couple of blonde visitors at my desk again after class.” 

“Ugh,” she groaned. “What did they have to say for themselves?” 

“Forget it,” he said, waving his hand dismissively. 

“No, I want to hear it,” Nancy insisted. 

“Basically? They told me I should dump you and hook up with one of them instead,” he admitted, looking uncomfortable. “And then they proposed that I could hook up with them without even have to break up with you – since I was obviously so good at keeping secrets, why not one more?” 

Nancy chuckled but it was without mirth. “Of course they did. And what did you say?” 

“That I was flattered but my personal life was just that – personal. They pouted and sighed and shit, but they left.” 

“God, Ned, that was fucking awful today,” she told him bleakly. “The stuff they said in front of everyone…I wanted to crawl in a hole and die. Thank God the girls who sit around me are awesome – they totally had my back.” 

“Baby, I am so, so sorry,” he told her, drawing her into his arms and kissing the top of her head. “I hate that they did that to you. But I heard you give them shit right back. When you told her to sit down and shut the fuck up? That was very hot, by the way.” 

Nancy’s chuckle was muffled by his shirt front. “God, it was so embarrassing.” 

Ned began rubbing her back in slow, comforting circles. “By the way, who’s Elle Woods?” 

“Hmm?” Ned’s touch was so soothing that she couldn’t concentrate. 

“You called her Elle Woods? Who is that?” 

She giggled. “You know, from _Legally Blonde_? Reese Witherspoon’s airheaded blonde character?” 

Ned snickered. “Must’ve missed that one. Hey, why don’t we get out of here and get a drink? I think you could use one.”   
  


“Right now, I’m kind of nervous about being seen together in public again. I mean, now everyone knows, but I don’t want to give them more ammo, you know?” 

Ned nodded. “Yeah, I know what you mean. Why don’t we go to a place I know so I can get you drunk in private?” 

Nancy laughed, in spite of herself. “Are you referring to your place, and are you trying to get me drunk so we can have sex?” 

“You know, if that were a side effect of my plan, I wouldn’t mind,” he told her airily, leading her out of the library. 

\-- 

A half hour later, Nancy was ensconced on Ned’s couch, a vodka and cranberry juice in her hand. When she first sat down and he had offered her a drink, she looked so forlorn that he had immediately increased the ratio of liquor to mixer. She had downed half of her drink as soon as he had handed it to her, and she took another slug now, wincing slightly as the alcohol burned down her chest. 

“Better, babe?” he asked sitting down beside her and patting her jean-clad thigh. 

She shook her head. “No, it’ll take more than one drink – albeit a very strong one – to make this better.” 

“Ignore them, Nan. We only have two more weeks of class after this – five sessions! Then it won’t matter anymore.” 

“They’re gonna make my life hell over the next two weeks, though,” she pointed out, finishing her drink and waving her empty glass at him. 

Ned set his drink onto a coaster on the coffee table before taking her empty glass and rising to get her a refill. When he returned, he gave her a quick kiss before seating himself next to her again. “Yeah, but they’re only two girls. The rest of the class had your back, so they’re outnumbered. Again, only five more classes and this’ll be over.” 

She took a sip this time, and relaxed back against the sofa cushions. “I know, I know. But, honestly, do you want to know what the worst part of it was for me?” He nodded without speaking. 

“What I hated was that she made what we have sound so cheap and dirty. She reduced it to some sleazy thing. That I’m just screwing you and spending time with you for the advancement of my academic career. And that’s not what’s happening here- you know that, right? That it’s not the reason you’re my …boyfriend…? 

“I know,” he told her, giving her a tender smile. He leaned back to face her and gently ran his palm over her forearms. “Baby, like I’ve told you before, there’s no way I can do anything to give you the answers for the test, so you would have nothing to gain. I mean, if you want to try and seduce me into giving you the information, you’re certainly welcome to give it your best shot,” he teased, opening his arms wide. 

Nancy chuckled, lightly slapping her palm against his thigh. “Nice try.” She took another drink. “Thanks,” she told him. 

Ned gave her a look of surprise. “For what?” 

“For letting me vent. For always being so supportive.” She reached down and linked her hand with his, her fingers chilled from the cold glass she was holding. 

“That’s what boyfriends are for,” he told her, leaning forward to kiss her. 

“Hmmm, is that what they’re for?” she murmured against his lips. She slid her tongue into his mouth and enjoyed the taste of scotch she found there. “Are they also for taking their girlfriends into their bedrooms and having sex with them to make them feel better?” 

Ned’s eyes sparkled at her words. “Oh, they are definitely for that, Nan. Let’s go.” 

They stood up and were halfway to Ned’s bedroom when they heard the keys in the lock of the front door. Mike and Jan walked in, a duffle bag slung over Mike’s shoulder. 

“Hey, guys,” Mike greeted them. “Sorry for just barging in – hope we weren’t interrupting anything. We thought you’d be studying at Nancy’s place, like you usually do on Monday nights.” 

Ned shook his head. “You didn’t interrupt anything, and we had an unexpected change of plans. Hey, I thought you were staying at Jan’s tonight.” 

“We were going to,” Jan interjected. “But there’s a potential gas leak in my building, so we were evacuated. I’ll be staying here at least overnight, if that’s okay, Ned?” 

“Of course,” Ned said easily. 

“Um, I’m suddenly really…tired…so we’re gonna go to bed,” Mike said, looking as if he was trying to keep a straight face. 

Suddenly, Nancy realized that Jan was wearing a trench coat – likely with nothing underneath – and spiked heels. “Good night,” she said brightly. 

The minute that Mike’s bedroom door closed behind him and Jan, Nancy and Ned both began chuckling. “Subtle,” Ned smirked. “However, since we were just about to head to my room, I guess we can’t mock them.” 

He took her hand and began leading her towards his room but Nancy hesitated. “Will it freak you out for us to have sex while they’re across the hall?” he asked curiously. 

“No,” she said slowly, “but are you okay with me being quiet?” 

“Let’s see,” he replied teasingly. 

When the door closed behind them, Ned reached for the hem of Nancy’s shirt and pulled it up and over her head in one quick motion. “Wow, that was quick – we may have a new record for you getting me out of my clothes,” she teased as his hands made their way to the button of her jeans. 

“Is that something you’d do for me, Nan?” Ned asked as they peeled the jeans down her legs. 

“What?” 

“Come in wearing only a trench coat and some tiny little underwear, or nothing at all, underneath??   
  


“Is that something you’d want?” she countered, grinning saucily. “I mean, you already told me about how you wanted the whole naughty schoolgirl thing.” 

“Baby, you showing up in only a trench coat would be like Christmas and my birthday and the Bulls winning the NBA championship all rolled into one. In fact, you could just do that as my gift for Christmas or my birthday, and that would be totally cool with me,” he told her seriously. 

“I’ll keep it in mind,” she informed him, her lips twitching as she tried to conceal a grin. She stepped out of her jeans and shimmied out of her panties. 

“Oh, and if you wanted to get creative and put on something like, say, a nurse’s uniform or a Wonder Woman costume or a cop outfit, that would be okay, too.” 

“Oh, really? So, like, a slutty cop outfit with handcuffs?” 

“Okay, I was already turned on, but…” He undid the clasp of her bra in one quick motion, picked her up, and tossed her onto his bed before quickly shedding his own clothing. “The thought of you and me and a pair of handcuffs? Damn.” 

“I really should know better than to encourage you,” she sighed, giving a mock sigh. 

Ned stroked her already-hard nipple before climbing on top of her. “Seriously, the thought of you in a sexy little outfit is doing it for me. Slutty cop. Slutty librarian. Slutty businesswoman…Feel free to try any of them.” 

“Slutty meter maid? Slutty sanitation worker?” She started to giggle, laughing harder when he began tickling her ribs. “Slutty plumber?” 

“Oh, you think that this isn’t getting me hot, but it’s doing just the opposite, babe.” 

Nancy reached down and began stroking his erect cock. “So, if I were to…I don’t know…walk into this apartment one night in a tight pencil skirt and a prim shirt buttoned up to my neck, my hair up, maybe with some glasses on…You’d like that?” 

“Like it? Fuck, I’d love it. Oh, and I love what you’re doing with your hand, so don’t stop.” 

Nancy slipped her thumb over the tip, grinning as he groaned. “Umm, what would you do to me if I dressed up like that?” 

“Well, I’d make you take your hair down and shake it out, then I’d make you take off those glasses. Then I’d rip that shirt right off of you and stick my hand up your skirt and slide it into your panties.” 

“Yeah? Sounds good so far.” 

“ Then I’d push your bra straps off of your shoulders, hike up your skirt even more...” 

She moved her hand over him in faster strokes, enjoying how his breathing became labored. “Ooh, I like that. Keep going.” 

“Then? Baby, I would put my cock into you and fuck you so hard you’d scream.” 

“Nice,” she sighed, using her other hand to play with his balls. 

“Baby?” 

“Yeah,” she whispered. 

“I’m supposed to be the one making you feel better, and you’re giving me a hand job.” 

She giggled. “Yeah, you noticed? It’s okay, though. I like touching you and making you feel good, Nickerson.” 

“You’re amazing at it,” he panted. “But, I want to just do something…” He reached his hand down and brushed against the soft curls at the join of her legs, cupping her in his warm palm. 

Nancy continued to stroke him as he slipped his fingers between her legs. “Yeah, that’s so nice.” 

“I want you.” 

Nancy smiled. “Oh, I want you, too. Can’t you tell?” 

Ned nodded. “You are so sweet and beautiful, you know that?” 

She blushed, his words unexpectedly tender. “I’m already letting you have sex with me tonight,” she joked weakly. 

“Please don’t make a joke out of this,” he whispered. “Please. You are so sweet and beautiful and amazing, and I love being with you like this. Spending time with you is the best part of my week; spending time with you like this is even better. I hope that those bitchy girls didn’t make you change your mind about us.” 

Nancy halted her hand movements. “Ned, no,” she whispered back. “No – I refuse to let them spoil what we have,” she told in a fierce voice. 

He smiled, and it was so genuine and warm that she felt like her insides were turning to goo from the power of it. “Good, because I would hate for that to happen. They have nothing to do with us, baby. Five more classes, and you never have to see them again.” 

The thought cheered her, and she resumed stroking his cock firmly. “Thank God,” she said fervently. “But let’s stop talking about other girls while we’re in your bed, okay? Because you’re not getting a threesome – that’s where I draw the line.” 

He chuckled and rubbed her clit with a crooked finger before moving his hands to her thighs, gently pulling them apart. “The idea of it is kind of hot, I have to admit, but you are more than enough for me, Drew.” 

She opened her legs wider for him. “I want you inside of me,” she told him in a low, unwavering voice. “Please. Please, Ned, make me forget my shitty evening and make me feel good.” 

Ned traced his tongue over her lips before slipping it inside of her mouth, gently rubbing his fingers over her clit again. Nancy moaned against him. 

“I want you inside of me,” she repeated. 

His fingers continued to stroke her for another minute, and Nancy threw her head back as she felt her clit twinge in response. Just when she thought she couldn’t wait any longer, he pulled back and quickly put on a condom before taking his cock in his hand and guiding it towards her opening. They both moaned when he began to sink the tip inside of her. 

“Oh, fuck, I know I promised I’d be quiet, but ooooh,” she groaned. 

He slid in deeper. “God, you always feel so incredible.” 

“More,” she gasped, gripping his ass as if to try to pull him in deeper. “I want more of you.” 

He surged ahead in one firm thrust so that he was buried to the hilt inside of her. Ned stopped for a moment and stared down at her before moving in and out of her, trying to find his rhythm. 

“Oh, oh. Oh, shit. Oh, this feels so…” Nancy was trying so hard not to scream or be loud, but it was getting more and more difficult with each of his thrusts. “Mmmm. Ohhhh.” 

“I don’t know which is hotter – you being loud, or you making those sexy little noises while you’re trying not to be loud,” Ned told her. His laugh turned into a moan as she bit down on his shoulder. 

Just then, they heard a giggle come from across the hall. 

“See, it’s not just me!” Nancy whispered back, trying to sound indignant. Or, as indignant as she could while he was stroking in and out of her. “They’re probably fucking like we are right now, only there is no way in hell he could be as good _or_ as big.” 

Ned did laugh out loud at that. “You are bad, my Nan. So, so bad.” 

“Mmm, just the way you like me to be,” she replied teasingly. “I’m just pointing out the fact that Jan can’t be having as good of a time as I am because she’s not getting it from the Big Nick, that’s all.” 

She could tell that Ned was having difficulty not laughing again. “How the hell do you do this, Nancy? Amuse the shit out of me and turn me on, all at once. God, what the fuck did I do without you in my life?” 

Nancy didn’t know how to respond. If she played it lightly, he’d get pissed; if she said something mushy, it would probably lead to a bigger discussion about their feelings, which was something she wanted to avoid at all costs. Instead, she said nothing at all and dug her nails into the small of his back, urging him on. 

Ned looked like he wanted to make another comment, but just kept on fucking her, keeping a slight smile on his face. When he slipped his hand between them to tease her clit, Nancy couldn’t hold back a loud cry of pleasure. He hastily clamped his mouth over hers to muffle the sound, and when she came, her face contorted as she did her best to conceal her scream. 


	15. Chapter 15

On Wednesday night, the blondes glared at Nancy but she ignored them as best she could. It was definitely easier to do because of the support she received from her new friends, who had protectively gathered around her before and after class. They were thrilled that the bitchy girls hadn’t won Ned over, and thought it was cute that she and their hot instructor had become involved after meeting in class.

She left that night after making plans with the girls to have a few final cram sessions in the days leading up to the test. Now, she wasn’t only dreading the test because of her desire to get a high score, but because it would also signal the end of her prep classes with Ned.

Despite his assurances that their relationship wouldn’t be impacted once the classes had ended, she was still nervous that things would change if they weren’t able to see each other as often as they had been. She would take on more shifts at the restaurants once the semester ended, and would probably look for a third job, too; he’d probably also take on a job. The thought of not being able to have dinner with him or go to the movies or cuddle on her couch made her incredibly sad; the thought of not being able to laugh and kiss and have sex with him a few times each week made it worse.

That was why her plans for their Sunday evening date were going to be a little more special than usual. She couldn’t really afford to take Ned to a fancy restaurant, which is why she had invited him over for dinner at her place. Her father would be away that night, visiting with some friends from law school, and she was thrilled to have the apartment all to herself.

Nancy mentally made a note to add lingerie shopping to her list of tasks for Sunday night’s dinner as she waited for Ned in the library.

\--

“So, what time’s Ned coming over tonight?” Hannah asked as she helped Nancy to ladle sauce over lasagna noodles in a ceramic baking pan.

“Seven thirty,” Nancy replied, beginning to spoon seasoned ricotta cheese over the layer of sauce. They were at Hannah’s apartment – Nancy had begged for her help in making lasagna for dinner that night.

“And you’re cooking for him. This is getting really serious, isn’t it?” Hannah teased.

Nancy waved her hand dismissively. “Nah, I just wanted to be able to do something nice for him. After all, he’s always taking me to dinner and paying for stuff, so I just wanted to reciprocate.”

“And it just so happens that your father will be away overnight…”

Nancy flushed. “Yeah, that too,” she admitted.

“So I’m assuming that Mr. Nickerson will be staying over with you?”

“He will,” Nancy confirmed, sprinkling the ricotta with some grated mozzarella cheese. “I told you that we finally…during the weekend that we went to his cousin’s wedding. Well, since then, we’ve only been able to…at his place. I know that Dad really likes Ned, and I’d like to keep it that way, so there is no way in hell that I’d ever have him spend the night when Dad’s around. But, since Dad’ll be away tonight for his mini-reunion with his law school friends, we’ll have some privacy. “

“You can say the word ‘sex’ in front of me, Nan,” Hannah told her, amused. “You, a grown adult, are having sex with your boyfriend, who is also a grown adult.” She chuckled when Nancy’s flush grew deeper. “So, how is he?”

Nancy looked up from the lasagna, scandalized. “Hannah! Did you just ask me how my boyfriend is in bed?” She tried to put on a prim expression but couldn’t hold it for long before breaking into giggles.

“I sure did,” Hannah told her, smirking. “Ever since that weekend, you’ve had a glow, and you can’t seem to stop smiling, so I’m assuming the answer is that he’s good. _Very_ good.”

“Oh, he’s better than good – amazing, fantastic…” Nancy rhapsodized. “I never thought it could be like this. I mean, you read stories, see movies, but you never think that it could be real, you know?”

“Because you two really care about each other,” Hannah smiled. “Now, I know that you cared about the other guys you were involved with, otherwise you wouldn’t have slept with them, but not like this.”

Nancy shrugged, trying to act casual. “Everything’s going really well, and I’m really happy.”

“So, have you told him that you care about him?”

Shrugging, Nancy didn’t quite meet the older woman’s gaze.

“Honey, admitting how you feel about him won’t ruin things; in fact, it’s likely to do just the opposite. Have you said anything at all to him about it?”

Nancy pretended to be engrossed in placing the noodles on the top layer of the lasagna. “Hannah, there’s nothing to tell – we’re boyfriend and girlfriend and we like spending time together. I don’t want to jinx it, you know”

Hannah made a clucking sound of disapproval. “Nan…I know you can be stubborn, but…”

Nancy still stared down at the dish. “This is not about me being stubborn, Hannah – there’s no reason to rush things. We haven’t been together that long.”

“I see there’s no talking to you,” Hannah sighed. “I just don’t want you to let your fear and your stubbornness get in the way of something that could be truly special, Nancy. The way you light up when you talk about him or when he’s nearby; the way he treats you…

“Honey, this relationship could be the most important one you’ll ever have in your life. Everyone else can see it; why can’t you? Why can’t you just break that shell of defensiveness for once and let yourself admit what you really feel? ”

For once, Nancy didn’t have a smart answer.

\--

Two hours later, Nancy walked into her apartment, the still-warm lasagna pan in her hands. She carefully placed it on the counter and began rooting around in the refrigerator for the salad ingredients she had purchased the previous evening.

“Smells delicious, Nan,” she heard her father’s voice from the doorway.

Nancy turned around, closing the refrigerator door behind her. “Well, Hannah helped me with it, so if it tastes good, she gets all the credit.”

“I’m sure Ned will love it,” he reassured her, still sniffing the air appreciatively. “Did you also make her famous garlic bread to go with it?”

She patted a foil-covered package on the countertop. “Of course. We’ll have the lasagna, bread, and salad.”

“Very nice. He’ll be very impressed that you’ve gone all out. I know you’ve been indoors all day,” he said, changing the subject, “but it is absolutely pouring out there, and it’s supposed to continue all day and all night.”

“Yeah, I heard it pounding on Hannah’s windows when I was over there. Why?” she asked, trying to keep a note of panic out of her voice. “Is the rain going to affect your plans?”

“Calm down, Nan,” her father chuckled. “You and Ned can still have your romantic dinner here. Your old dad will still be going away this evening.”

Suddenly, his expression turned serious. “You know that I approve of your relationship, right? That I think he’s a good man and I respect him very much, right?”

She nodded slowly, wondering where her father was going with his line of questioning.

“Just please tell me that the two of you are being careful, Nancy.”

Nancy momentarily panicked. _Can he be talking about sex? God, please no,_ she thought frantically. “What do you mean, Dad?” _Might as well try to play dumb instead of jumping to conclusions - maybe he’s not asking what you think he’s asking._

“That you are practicing safe sex,” her father replied. She could tell he was as uncomfortable with asking the question as she was with hearing it.

“Dad!” Nancy exclaimed, mortified. “We’re not…”

Carson gave her a knowing look. “Your dad may be old, but he’s not stupid, Nan. Look, I know this is embarrassing – for both of us – but you don’t have a mom to talk to about things like this…I know we had the protection discussion a long time ago, but I’ve never seen you react to any of your other boyfriends the way you do to Ned. So, I’m reminding you now. Protection all the time, every time. Okay?”

When Nancy continued to look at him in helpless silence, he repeated his question. “Okay?”

She nodded slowly. “Okay, but we were already being careful, Dad – I swear. Really – you know that the last thing I want is for anything to mess up my plans.”

“Just so long as you know that the last thing I want is to be a grandfather at my young age,” he teased lightly.

Nancy grinned. “I don’t know – I think your girlfriend wouldn’t mind.”

“Dana is not my girlfriend, Nancy. We’ve just seen each other a few times. “

“Sure, uh huh,” she teased her father.

“Nice way to try and change the subject, Nan. But, seriously, I know that you’re not my little girl anymore and that you’re a grown woman in an adult relationship. All I ask is that you use protection and that you don’t do anything while I’m here in this apartment. Whatever else happens is up to you.” He reached over and looped an arm around her neck, pulling her head in close so he could plant a kiss on the crown.

“We would never, Dad,” Nancy swore.

“Good – because just because I know what’s happening doesn’t mean I’d like to see it.”

She chuckled. “Don’t worry – Ned’s entirely too afraid of you to even risk it.”

“Good,” Carson repeated. “Let’s keep it that way.”

\--

At 7:35, Nancy’s doorbell rang. The lasagna was warming in the oven along with the garlic bread, and the salad was already in a bowl, just waiting to be dressed. She had been sitting at the table in the dining area and watching the rain come down in sheets, hoping that the horrible weather didn’t cause Ned to delay or, worse, cancel their plans. Nancy hurried to open the door and found Ned standing there, his hair wet, a duffle bag slung over one shoulder, and his arms full of damp bags.

“Hi, baby,” he greeted her, beaming.

“Hi, Ned,” she replied, flashing him a smile. “You’re soaked! Why didn’t you take an umbrella?” She escorted him inside, taking the bags from him and giving him a quick kiss.

“Well, because my hands were full,” he reminded her. “Where would I have held the umbrella?”

“What is all of this stuff, anyway? I thought guys packed light, Ned – what happened?”

“You’ll see,” Ned told her, smiling mysteriously. “Wow, it smells delicious in here!”

Nancy grinned. “I told you I’d make you a nice dinner, didn’t I?” After setting the bags on the counter, she held out her hand for his duffle bag and quickly stored it in her bedroom. She came back into the living room to find that Ned had set a large bouquet of her favorite flowers and a bottle of her favorite wine on the kitchen table.

“What’s this?” she asked, feeling her heart melt.

“Um, flowers and wine for my gorgeous girl?” he replied, walking over to her and sliding his hands into the back pockets of her jeans. “Because she made dinner for me and looks so damn beautiful and sexy tonight?”

Nancy stood on tiptoe and wrapped her arms around his neck, happily leaning into his kiss. She was glad she had chosen the jeans and navy blue top with a gently draped neckline: they were both comfortable and showed off her figure. On impulse, she had purchased a tiny periwinkle blue satin chemise with sheer lace cups and a skimpy matching thong for later on – the plain black set she had originally looked at in the store had seemed dull in comparison.

“Well, you are so good to me that I’ll have to be extra-nice to you tonight,” she teased.

“Hmmm, I like the sound of that, Nan.” Ned kissed her again.

“So, what was in the rest of the bags, Nickerson?”

“Aren’t you the nosy one?” he teased. “Well, I got a few other things, but they’re for later on. Actually, one has to go in the fridge.”

“Really? What’s in it?”

“Dessert – but I’m not telling you what kind.” He pulled away and walked to the kitchen, where Nancy helped him find space in the refrigerator for the white box he was holding. After successfully searching the cabinets for a vase, she filled it with water before adding the flowers.

“Thank you – they’re so beautiful.”

“You’re welcome, baby – it was the least I could do. Smells like dinner’s going to be delicious, and I can’t wait.”

\--

After Ned raved over her lasagna and garlic bread, they moved to the living room, where they lingered over their wine. What started as them watching a movie on the couch turned into them kissing passionately and touching.

“Mmm, this is so nice,” he murmured. “It’s raining, we’re here for dinner and a cozy night in…Much better than if we had to go to some fancy restaurant in this terrible weather and then try to get a cab.”

“It is,” she whispered back.

“The only thing missing is dancing,” he said against her lips.

“Dancing?”

“Yeah – it was so nice to dance with you at Laurel’s wedding that I kinda wanted to do it again tonight. I mean, last time it was like great foreplay, right?”

Nancy giggled. “It was, but I want some real foreplay this time, too.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that, baby. Trust me, I have a plan.” He gave her a wicked grin.

She raised her eyebrows.” So you’ve planned it all out?”

“Well, it happened to be part of my shopping expedition today, Nan. Remember when I said I had more stuff for later on?” Nancy watched him as he got off of the couch and walked to the spot where he had stored one of the bags he had brought with him. He returned with the bag in hand and presented it to her with a flourish.

Nancy cautiously opened the bag and was astonished at what she found inside, pulling out several boxes of vibrators. “Ned? What’s all this?”

“Well, I know we talked about introducing some toys, and I thought it would be fun to try one or two tonight. It would be cool if we could eventually go to the store or go online and pick out a few things together, but I thought I’d get us started. If you don’t like any of this stuff, I can take it back…”

“Hold on, Nickerson. Let me see what we’ve got here.” She held up a hand to stop him from talking and began rifling through the boxes. “Cock ring, bullet vibe…hmm, what’s this?” She picked up a box that held a vibrator with several different attachments,

“Thought you’d pick that one,” he grinned. “It’s designed to provide lots of great clit stimulation, but can also do the job inside of you, too. I thought you could maybe use it and some of these others and show me what you like.”

“Like you don’t know what I like,” she joked. “Well, I’d like to try this and…maybe this one.” She picked up the cock ring. “This looks like it could be fun, and it would involve both of us.”

“Sounds good to me,” he said, kissing her.

“So, did you want to dance, or did you want to get into the bedroom and start trying this stuff?”

“Well, when you put it that way...” he grinned. “Let’s go to your bedroom, Nan.”

Nancy stood up and held out her hand, then led him to her room. “I have a little something to put on for you first,” she informed him.

“Ooh, is it really little?” he asked hopefully.

“It is,” she confirmed. “If you want to change in the bathroom, I can change in my room.”

“Sounds good, baby.”

“Holy shit,” he whispered as he walked into the bedroom a few minutes later. “You look…amazing,” he finished. “Like a lingerie catalogue come to life.”

“Thank you,” she smiled. “You look pretty damn good yourself, too.” His black cotton boxers were already slight tented in front, clearly showing his arousal.

He slipped his iPod into the docking station by her bed. “I thought we could at least have some music.”

“Perfect.” She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her head to his chest. He slipped his arms around her and held her close. With the rain lashing against the windows of her room, the soft music playing in the background, and him so close that she could feel his heart beating against her ear, Nancy felt like she was in the middle of one of Bess’s romance novels, and she didn’t want it to end.

“Did you change your mind about the dancing?” he asked, amused.

“Uh uh,” she told him, shaking her head so that her hair brushed across his chest. “Just wanted to give you a hug first.”

“Well, I like it.” Ned brushed his lips against the top of her head. “I always like hugging you. I like it even more when we’re naked, but I’ll gladly take this.”

She tiled her head up to catch the smirk on his lips. “Okay, okay, I know. So take this tiny lingerie off of me, already.”

“Nope. Come on,” He took her hand and led her to the bed, where he helped her to push back the covers and gently positioned her on her back, her strawberry blonde hair fanned out on the pillow behind her head. “So beautiful,” he murmured, just looking at her for a moment. He ran the pad of his thumb over her nose and then moved down to brush it against her lips, where he let it linger.

The way he was gazing at her so reverently made Nancy feel like she was turning to mush inside, and the tenderness and warmth and desire in his gaze actually made her breath catch in her throat. “Thank you,” she whispered back.

Ned leaned down and captured her mouth in a kiss, his lips barely grazing hers before he deepened it. As he continued to kiss her, he moved his hand to one of the thin satin straps at her shoulder and slowly pushed it aside, exposing one breast.

After several minutes of his kisses and his hands on her body, Nancy was completely aroused. She fully expected him to slide off his boxers and climb on top of her; instead, he crawled off of the bed. Nancy groaned loudly. “I have condoms in my nightstand drawer! Where are you going?” she cried out, frustrated.

He chuckled before disappearing out of her bedroom. He returned a moment later, clutching the vibrator boxes in his hand. “We were going to try these tonight, remember?”

“Later,” she told him, the impatience clear in her tone. “Just get over here and fuck me.”

Ned laughed. “Nope, not yet.” He opened the box for the stimulator and clicked it on to make sure that the batteries worked. Satisfied when he heard it start to hum, he walked back to the bed and handed it to her after turning it off.

Nancy raised herself on her forearms and tried to glare at him. “Are you serious? You got me all worked up and walked away to get _this_?” She attempted to sound outraged as she pointed to the toy, but she didn’t think she did a good job of it because he continued to smirk at her. “Why are you handing it to me, anyway? Aren’t you going to use it on me?”

“Nope,” he told her, shaking his head. “You’re going to use it, and I’m going to watch.”

“So you want me to…in front of you?” Nancy didn’t consider herself to be a prude in the slightest, but the thought of touching herself while her boyfriend watched freaked her out a little, she had to admit. It also kind of turned her on, she had to admit.

“Oh, yeah.” He gave her a wicked, sexy grin. “I mean, I may want to join in at some point, but I definitely want to watch you do what makes you feel good. Show me, sweetheart.”

“Will you at least take my nightgown and these teeny little panties off of me?” she countered teasingly.

Ned leaned over her and slipped the silky nightgown over her head, then began playing with her erect nipples with his mouth and fingers.

When she felt her desire re-energize, Nancy slid down one side of her underwear, Ned quickly helping her to take them off. She reached out her hand for the vibrator, and he eagerly placed it into her palm. After turning it on, she bent her legs at the knees to give him a better view and slipped the toy between her legs. Initially feeling wary about the whole thing, she gave a low moan when the vibrating head brushed against her already-sensitive clit.

“That’s it, baby,” he encouraged her in a husky voice. “Do what feels good.”

Nancy opened her legs wider and pushed the tip of the toy against the swelled button of her clit. She slid it up and down, moaning louder and louder with each movement.

She looked up to find Ned staring at her, a rapt expression on his face. “Does this thing have adjustable speeds, or what?” she managed to get out.

Ned reached forward and guided her hand towards the controls, pushing her finger down over the one that controlled speed. Nancy groaned loudly when the vibrator began to move faster and harder against her sensitive flesh. She began arching her back and thrusting her hips, closing her eyes as she focused on the sensations between her legs.

“No, baby, open your eyes and look at me,” Ned urged her in a husky voice. “Look at me while you make yourself feel good.”

Her eyes popped open and she forced herself to meet his gaze as she continued to work the toy against her clit. When she moved her other hand up to stroke one of her hardened nipples, Ned let out a cry of pleasure and quickly took off his boxers. The sight of his bare erection cupped in his hand made her even more aroused and she began to thrust even harder against the vibrator. “Please, please touch me,” she whispered raggedly. “Anywhere, I don’t care – just put your hands on me, please.”

He leaned over and put his free hand against her other breast, stroking it in the same rhythm that he was using on his cock. “Is this what you wanted, baby?”

“Yes, “she whimpered. “But what I really want is you inside of me instead of this toy.”

“We’ll get to that, baby,” he grunted as he continued to play with her and his cock.

“Can you at least take over and use this on me? Please?” Nancy knew she was begging, but didn’t care.

Ned hesitated, opening the drawer to her beside table and quickly sheathing himself in a condom he found there. “Just in case,” he told her tightly.

He climbed on top of her and placed his hand over hers, and she hissed loudly when she felt him angle the toy slightly inside of her slit. When he brushed his thumb over her clit and began sucking on her erect nipples, Nancy thought she might actually die from the pleasure he was giving her.

“Oh my God, holy shit, so good,” she groaned. Ned looked up and gave her a grin before pushing the vibrator inside her more deeply and moving to her other breast. “Oh! Oh, baby, yes! Uh huh, that’s it. Don’t stop – God, whatever you do, don’t stop!”

Ned gave one final flick against her clit, and that was what caused her to come undone. She cried out loudly as her orgasm broke, her hips still jerking against his hand as she came.

The spasms had barely subsided when Ned pulled the toy out of her and tossed it onto the nightstand. He pushed her legs apart even further and slid his head down her torso, looking up once more before plunging his tongue into the folds between her legs.

“Oh, oh, oh!” she gasped in little mewling cries. “Too much – I…I…”

Ned began licking her wet and engorged clit in firm strokes, Nancy thrashing her head from side to side as she was engulfed with pleasure. The feel of his rough tongue against her when she had just finished her first climax was almost too much to take, but she didn’t even think of asking him to stop. All she could hear were her moans of pleasure and the sound of his mouth sucking on her wet flesh.

When Nancy thought she couldn’t bear it any longer, she fisted her hands into his dark hair and pulled. She felt him chuckle against her and was disappointed when he began to move away. Just as she was about to tell him to keep going, he brushed his stubble-covered chin against her clit. Nancy heard a high, thin cry of pleasure and was momentarily shocked to find out that it had come from her.

She felt her second orgasm start to build and began to scream. “Oh, holy fuck, _yeah_. God, _yes! Don’t stop!_ ” she shrieked. “Oh, God, Ned. Ohmygod, ohmygod.” Her hands were clutching at his shoulders so hard that she would probably leave moon-shaped marks from her nails, but she didn’t care. As she began to come again, she wrapped her legs around him and began scraping her fingers down his back.

When she was finally done, she lay back, boneless and exhausted. Her skin was damp with perspiration, and her face was hot. Nothing short of an emergency could make her move; she couldn’t even open her eyes. “Oh. My.God.” she finally moaned between pants of breath. “Oh. My.God. I think you’ve killed me. This why the French refer to orgasm as ‘the little death’, isn’t it? _La petit mort_?”

Ned chuckled, and when she forced herself to open her eyelids, she found that he had stripped off the condom and was frantically pumping himself to release.

“I’d help you with that, but I can’t move,” she groaned.

He came with a strangled cry that was half-laugh, half-moan. “It’s okay. I knew it would only take a minute.” Ned leaned over and grabbed a tissue from the box on the top of the nightstand to clean himself up before collapsing next to her.

“Was that good, baby?” he asked, panting.

Nancy swatted at him, but was too worn out to put much force behind it. “Like you don’t know. I may have blacked out there for a minute.”

“So, you liked the toy, then?”

“Um, _yeah._ Oh, and the part where you ate me out? That wasn’t too bad, either.”

“I aim to please, baby.”

“Mission accomplished,” she told him, still breathing heavily. “Why did that turn you on, though?”

“I just watched the hottest, sexiest woman I’ve ever met come – twice. You can’t blame me for having a raging hard-on after that. And that was incredible, believe me, but…”

“But what?” she asked lazily.

He laughed and ran one flattened palm over her breast, his grin getting wider as he watched her shiver from his touch. “I kinda would like to fuck, but I thought you could use a little break. Because I fully intend on making you come again,” he told her in a low voice.

“Come here and put your money where your mouth is.” She crooked her index finger at him and giggled when he climbed on top of her again, burying his face in the crook of her neck.

“Oh, that’s not what I’d like to put where my mouth was,” he told her coyly, amused at the shudder she gave when he traced a fingertip over her still-sensitive clit.

“You are damn good with your mouth, though. But,” she squealed when he blew a raspberry into her neck, “you’re even better with your cock.”

Ned gently inserted his finger inside of her, watching as she bit her lip. “Too soon?”

“I still feel like I feel everything. Like it’s painful - but in a really good way,” she added hastily, noticing the shadow of concern cross his face.

“Well, then let me give you time to recover – I don’t ever want it to hurt, Nan. This is only supposed to feel good.” She gave a sigh of reluctance when he pushed off of her to sit up. “Besides, I could go for some dessert – you?”

“Of course you could,” she teased, leaning over to pat his bare thigh. “Let me just get up and…”

“Uh uh – you stay put,” he told her. “I’ll get it – by now, I know where the plates and utensils are. Be right back.” He leaned over and gave her a brief kiss before leaving the bedroom.


	16. Chapter 16

The minute he left, Nancy slowly pushed herself to a sitting position, wincing slightly. She felt worn out - but damn, was it worth it, she grinned. Every time they had slept together since the night of his cousin’s wedding, the sex had gotten more and more incredible, which didn’t seem possible. Nancy went to grab for the sheet to cover herself up but thought better of it, arranging herself on the bed with her arms crossed above her head and her legs spread wide.

Ned wore a wide grin upon taking in the sight of her when he returned a few minutes later, a cake plate in each of his hands.

“Now, that is one hell of a sight, baby,” he told her, settling on the bed next to her. She reached out her hand to grab one of the plates and her eyes widened when she realized what was on them.

“Is this…tiramisu cake…from D’Amatos?” she squealed.

“It is,” he confirmed.

“As in, my favorite cake from my favorite bakery, the one that requires you to stand on line forever while praying that they still have good stuff left by the time it’s your turn?” _The one that I mentioned to you in passing once a few months ago, and you remembered after all of this time?_ she thought to herself, swooning internally.

“D’Amatos, where you had to stand in the pouring, driving rain to get this special cake? Just like you had to run around in this horrible weather to get my favorite flowers and my favorite wine and some toys to give me a good time?” He nodded almost bashfully.

The huge wave of emotion that hit her just then nearly took her breath away; it was so strong, so forceful that she was shocked to find tears gathering in her eyes she looked at him, just looked at him, and shook her head. No one she had ever been with before had been this considerate and affectionate and caring.

“You…you…”Nancy couldn’t even finish the sentence. “You are so sweet and kind and good,” she told him in a low voice. “Just so damn _good_.” Her voice was thick with tears. She pressed her lips to his sweetly, then slowly deepened the kiss. She could still taste herself on his tongue and it reminded her of how he had just spent his time focusing on bringing her pleasure.

“Damn, if I had known that I’d get this reaction just for bringing cake,” he teased, trying to lighten the moment as if he sensed that she was unable to deal with her feelings.

She shook her head again. “It’s not just about the cake. It’s _you_ , Nickerson. You.”

“Well, I’m glad I could make you happy, Nan. But if I did, then why are you crying?” Ned sounded genuinely puzzled as he used the pad of his thumb to catch the moisture gathering on her lower lashes.

“I’m not,” she told him, the thickness of her voice telling him otherwise. “Not crying. Now, let’s eat this cake so I can show you just how much I appreciate how sweet you’ve been to me tonight. How sweet you always are to me.”

“Well, you’re important to me,” he told her simply. “Here, have some.” He held out his fork to her lips and smiled when she tasted it, her eyes closing in pleasure as the creamy cake hit her taste buds.

They took turns feeding each other until the cake was gone, and Ned howled with laughter when she attempted to lick her plate clean.

“Thank you,” she told him shyly. “Thank you so much. For everything you did tonight, for everything, period.”

“You’re very welcome, baby. Thank you for finally saying yes to me.”

“Yes to going out with you? Yes to the sex?” she joked.

“All of it. Thanks for agreeing to let me in. You make me so happy, beautiful.”

The look he was giving her caused that swell of passion, desire, and something else that she was too afraid to name to rise up within her again. She leaned forward and kissed him before speaking.

“Ned, I…”

“Yes, baby?” he asked expectantly, cupping his hand around the back of her neck and gently brushing his fingertips over the delicate skin there.

“I…” The words were stuck there on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn’t get them out. It was entirely too scary. “I…” _Damn it, Drew!_ she scolded herself. _What are you doing?_

__

She took a deep breath and bit her tongue, as if to physically keep the words at bay. “You’ve been so kind to me tonight, Nickerson, now let me return the favor, okay?”

Nancy thought she detected a hint of disappointment in his gaze. _Could he know what I was thinking?_ she wondered, panicking slightly. _No, stop, you’re being ridiculous. It’s only been a couple of months – he can’t be expecting anything like that. Besides, it’s not like he’s said it to you._

__

“Well, I won’t say no to that offer,” he told her.

Nancy pushed on his shoulders, signaling for him to lie down on his back. She swung her legs around so that she was straddling his hips and began to brush kisses over his neck and chest. Her tongue traced his breastbone and she could hear his breath quicken as she got closer and closer to his lower abdomen.

”Baby, tonight was supposed to be about you-“

“Hush,” she told him, pressing her lips to the skin just below his navel. “Let me please you. Let me show you how much I appreciate you, okay? I want to.” She looked up and met his gaze.

“How did I ever get someone like you in my life?” she murmured dreamily against the skin of his inner thigh. “All I did was sign up for a class, and I got you.”

Ned reached down to rub the top of her head with his palm. “All I did was sign up to teach a class and I got you, baby. I’ve taught them before, and I told you – I never noticed any of my students. There are tons of those prep classes all over Chicagoland and the suburbs – you could’ve gone to any one of them. I’m the lucky one.”

Shaking her head fiercely, Nancy kissed his kneecap. “I disagree, but that’s okay – this can be one of the things that we argue about.” She felt his body shake as he chuckled; it turned into a moan as she oh-so-gently cupped her hand around his erection and began to stroke it. Using one hand to caress his balls, she lightly blew on the tip of his cock and was gratified to feel it pulse in her other hand.

After releasing him, she heard Ned groan again, this time in protest. “Please just tell me you’re stopping to get a condom,” he pleaded.

Nodding, Nancy propped herself up onto her knees and leaned over to fish in her bedside drawer before changing her mind. She closed the drawer and was empty-handed when she turned back to Ned.

“Nan?”

“You’re clean, right, Nickerson?”

Ned gave her a huge grin. “I am, baby – I swear. I always wore condoms, and I was super careful to get tested – the last time was before you and I started going out, and I’m a hundred percent healthy, I swear to you.”

“I believe you,” Nancy told him, and it was true. He had never lied to her about anything at all in of the months they had been seeing each other, so she knew that he wouldn’t lie to her about something as important as this. “I just wanted to confirm it before I do this.” She leaned down and gently sucked the tip of his bare cock into her mouth.

“Oh, _shit,_ that feels good,” he sighed.

Taking his response as feedback that she should continue, Nancy took more of him into her mouth and began stroking his balls. She relaxed her throat to try and avoid awakening her gag reflex as she continued to suck him, Ned making noises of encouragement throughout.

Feeling like she was about to go too deep, Nancy pulled back and licked the head of his erection while using her hands to alternately play with his cock and balls.

“Fuck, you’re incredible,” he panted. “It was always amazing when you did this with a condom, but to feel your hot little mouth around my naked dick? S _o fucking good_.”

She smiled at him before sucking him between her lips again, this time taking more of his length than she had before. Ned threaded his fingers through the strands of reddish-gold hair at the crown of her head and not-so-gently tugged as she worked him with her mouth.

Feeling his balls start to tighten beneath her fingertips, Nancy kept on sucking at him.

“Baby, I’m about to…” he warned, his voice tight.

Nancy sucked even harder, trying to brace herself for what was about to happen. She had never done this without a condom, and prayed that she didn’t gag – or worse.

“Baby,” he repeated. “I can’t hold back anymore – I need to come.”

She looked up at him while still keeping him in her mouth, and was pleased to see the look of desire and arousal in his brown eyes. Nodding to him ever so slightly, Nancy took him deeper into her throat.

That was what did it. His hips surged against her, and she felt him pulse in her mouth before he gave a loud cry. Suddenly, the back of her throat was coated with the hot, sticky result of his orgasm, and Nancy was proud of herself when she swallowed without recoiling. She let him finish before pulling back and wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

“Nancy, that was the best fucking blow job I’ve ever had,” he told her hoarsely as he lay back against the pillows, breathing heavily.

“I’m glad you liked it,” she replied, sitting up. She prayed that she wouldn’t throw up as she breathed deeply to avoid the nausea rising in her. “Now, you recover while I…wash out my mouth.”

Nancy hurried off of the bed and made it to the bathroom just in time, glad that she had closed the door behind her to muffle the sounds of her being sick. Afterwards, she thoroughly rinsed with mouthwash before brushing her teeth.

When she returned to the bathroom, Nancy found Ned sitting up amidst her mussed sheets. “Nan, are you okay?” he asked, concerned.

She managed to give him a smile. “Yep – fine. Just…hit me a little more than I thought it would.” She climbed back onto the bed and curled up under his arm when he beckoned to her.

“I’m so sorry. Really.” Ned patted her back tentatively.

Nancy made a dismissive noise. “Nothing to be sorry about, Nickerson – you warned me that you were about to come, and I wanted to make you feel good. Swallowing…it wasn’t so bad,” she lied lightly.

“I know you’re lying to me, but I appreciate what you did – sweetheart, it felt incredible,” he told her, placing his crooked finger under her chin and tilting her head up to meet his gaze.

Nancy kissed him. “Well, I’m glad.”

“You know, not that I haven’t enjoyed all of the foreplay and oral stuff tonight, but…we haven’t had actual sex yet,” he reminded her teasingly.

“Hmmm, you’re right,” she replied, kissing him again.

“Did you need something to get your energy level up again, like more cake? Or is that not a good idea right now?” he asked after seeing the look of slight queasiness that she was unable to hide.

Nancy shook her head. “Yeah, I think it’s smart if I pass, but if you want some…”

“No, I’m good.”

“Thank you again for stopping at D’Amato’s, Ned,” she told him almost shyly. “You were so amazing for remembering. It really is my favorite – and it was my mom’s, too. I always think about her when I have tiramisu cake from there.”

“Tell me about her,” he prompted. “You don’t talk about her a lot.”

“That’s because it still makes me so sad to think about her,” she admitted softly as she curled up at his side again. “She never got to see me go to the prom, graduate from high school…I never got to tell her about my first kiss, the first time I had sex… She’ll never see me get my degree or go to law school… You know I love Hannah with all of my heart – she’s been a huge blessing for me and my dad and I’d kill anyone who hurt her, but…”

“It’s not the same,” Ned finished her sentence. “I mean, I can’t even imagine what it must have been like for you, Nan. I don’t even want to think about losing my mom now, and I’m a grown up.” He gently stroked her hair. “So, I have to know - was she funny, like you are? Funny and sassy and so fucking smart?”

She could hear the smile in his voice. “She sure was – that’s why she and my dad would laugh together all of the time.”

“Nice. Kind of like you and I, Drew.”

Nancy nodded slowly against his chest. “She was really kind, too. I remember that our next-door neighbor at the old house got really sick, and she had a husband and two small kids. My mom made them a freezerful of meals, cleaned their house, drove her to doctor’s appointments…No one asked her, she just did it. That’s the kind of person she was, and I sometimes wonder if she’d be disappointed because I’m not like her in that way.” She was surprised to hear her voice veer perilously close to a sob.

Ned suddenly pushed her away so he could look at her face. “Baby, what are you taking about?” he demanded incredulously. “Underneath all of that sarcasm and that quick tongue is the sweetest, kindest woman I’ve ever met.”

“I’m not,” she muttered, trying to burrow back into his chest.

Ned wouldn’t let her, though. “Oh, really? So who looks after Hannah as much as she looks after you and your dad, huh? Who makes sure that her apartment is locked and safe, who spends her hard-earned money bringing her the flowers she likes, who made sure to buy her a special present when we were in New York, huh?

“Then there’s your dad,” he continued, “You make sure that he’s not alone, you make sure that you earn enough money so you don’t have to rely on him, you do all kinds of errands to make things easier for him when he’s working crazy hours… ”

Nancy made a weak sound of protest but Ned wouldn’t let her stop him. “And we haven’t even talked about how nice you are to your boyfriend – even though you’re incredibly busy and tired, you took the time to make him a great dinner and buy some really hot lingerie.” She laughed at that. “So don’t try to tell me that you aren’t generous and kind – I know better, Drew.”

“You always see the good in me,” she sighed.

“Because there’s so much of it, Nancy. You are amazing - how do you not know this?” he marveled.

She felt tears building in her eyes again. “Because no one I’ve ever been with before thought I was,” she told him simply.

“Well, they were idiots, baby.”

Nancy sniffled and threw her arms around his neck, kissing him fiercely. “You are better than I deserve.”

Ned shook his head, smiling. “Nope. Now, let’s stop talking and let’s…make love, okay?” he asked, almost shyly.

_Make love_ , she thought to herself, struck by how completely accurate a description it was for what she wanted to do with him. Everything they had done up to that point of the evening was so laden with feelings that it couldn’t be described as sex. Nancy kissed him again, taking one of his hands and leading it to her breast.

He slowly stroked the tight pink bud of her nipple with his thumb as they continued to kiss. Gently pushing her onto her back, Ned settled on top of her and began nuzzling at her neck.

Nancy sighed as she lay back and enjoyed the feel of his body over hers. His lips brushed over the top curve of her right breast, then her left, before he began to rain kisses down her breastbone. He kissed each nipple, the underside of each breast, the muscles of her abdomen and her navel before pausing to run his lips over the trim line of curls at her pubic bone.

When he looked up at her, his lips curving into a soft smile, Nancy felt her heart clench at the desire darkening his brown eyes. She returned his smile and began stroking his hair and shoulders. He ever-so-gently spread her thighs with his hand and planted kisses over them, lingering at the sensitive flesh of her inner thighs. When he brushed a butterfly kiss on her clit, she moaned.

Ned worked his way down her legs, his lips ghosting over her knees, ankles, and the arches of her feet. When he began to kiss her toes, Nancy giggled, feeling ticklish, and she could feel his chuckle against her skin. He then worked his way back up her body, pausing every so often to linger over a particular spot or two. When he got to her breasts again, Ned gently sucked each of her nipples into his mouth and ran his tongue over them, Nancy crying out in pleasure.

“Please,” she pleaded.

“Please what?” he whispered against her neck.   
  


“Ned, you know what I want!” she cried out, frustrated.

He shook his head. “First, tell me how you feel.”

“Ned…it feels so good. _You_ make me feel so good.”

Ned shook his head again. “That’s not what I meant. Tell me how you _feel_ , Nancy. About me.”

“I…I…” The words were right there, but they felt like boulders in her mouth.

His lips found hers again, and he slowly slid his tongue into her mouth. They kissed as if in slow motion and when they pulled apart, both Nancy and Ned were panting. “You know you can tell me anything – right, baby? Anything at all? So tell me how you feel about me, Nancy,” he repeated.

She was overcome by the mix of physical and emotional sensations running through her but still held back. It was entirely too scary to say what she was feeling – to admit to herself what she was feeling. “I…I…”

Ned must have sensed the genuine distress that his request had evoked, because he pulled back to look at her. “It’s okay, Nan – if you’re not ready…I didn’t mean to make you upset.”

His disappointment was palpable, and Nancy felt a pang at having been the reason for it. She craned her neck up to kiss him. “Just make love to me, okay?” she murmured. It was easier to show him how she felt with her body instead of with words.

Ned kissed her again. “Okay.” His fingers stole down to brush her clit, and Nancy parted her legs to give him better access.

“Nice,” she whispered. “It feels so nice when you touch me.”

“You’re so beautiful,” he told her, slipping his other hand over to toy with her nipples.

“Please – please get inside of me.”

“Did you want me to get one of the toys I brought tonight?”

“No – right now, I just want it to be about you and me.” She reached over to the drawer and pulled out a foil packet, quickly sliding a condom over his erection before they both guided it towards her opening.

When he slid inside of her, they both sighed with pleasure. His thrusts were slow and he kept his gaze on her, the hint of a smile on his face. Nancy could hear the rain beginning to get heavier again outside, the wind driving it against her bedroom windows, but it just served to make things feel even cozier inside with him in her bed, making love to her gently, tenderly. The soft, romantic music still playing in the background only added to the ambiance. She tipped her face up to kiss him deeply.

Ned broke the kiss to brush a stray curl away from her cheek and gently run his thumb over her parted lips. “Nancy, I…”

She shook her head, afraid to break the spell. “Shhh.”

A look of regret crossed his face before he leaned in to kiss her again, placing his hand between them to stroke her clit.

“So good,” she murmured. “Ned, that feels so good.” She turned her head and dreamily watched the rain continue to come down in sheets outside.

“No, don’t look away, Nan,” he whispered. “Look at me while we’re doing this. Please.”

She obeyed his request and looked into his dark eyes as he increased the depth of his thrusts. Nancy let out a low cry of pleasure and wrapped her legs around his shoulders.

Ned brushed his lips against her neck, her earlobe, her jaw line, before finding her lips again. She let one hand caress his back while stroking his hair with the other, all the while keeping her gaze on his. When he dipped his head down to trace her nipples with his tongue, Nancy whimpered in delight.

“Say my name,” he said, his voice pitched low. “When you come, say my name.”

Nodding, Nancy gently ran her fingertips over the nape of his neck, smiling when he shivered. Her orgasm was building, but she almost didn’t want what they were doing to end – when they were locked together like this, it felt like they were the only two people in the world.

Ned’s thumb grazed her clit as he began to drive even deeper into her, and when he firmly suckled on her breast, she could feel herself start to come. “Mmmm. Mmmm, God. Yes, Ned, _ohhhhhhh_ ,” she babbled. “Oh, _Ned_ ….”

“That’s it, baby,” he whispered roughly, still thrusting. “Say it again.”

“Ned, yes! Ohhhh, God – yeahhhhhhh.” Her fingernails dug into his flesh as she began to scream. “Ned, you feel so goodddd inside of me,” she told him, moaning loudly. She continued to babble his name as she rode out her climax, panting as she moved her hips against his.

After a few more strokes, Ned called out her name in a hoarse whisper before giving in to his own orgasm. He collapsed on top of her, both of them still breathing heavily.

Nancy smiled as she stroked his sweaty back and his damp hair. After a few minutes, he climbed off of her and stripped off the condom before flopping onto his back and drawing her to him.

She rested her head on his chest and flung one arm around his waist as they both lay there in contented silence. The last thought she had before she drifted off to sleep was about what it would take for her to get up the courage to express her feelings out loud to him, and how much longer he’d be willing to wait for her to do it.


	17. Chapter 17

Nancy checked the calendar over the desk in her bedroom for the third time, trying not to panic. _No, it can’t be_ , she thought frantically. _Maybe you just counted wrong. You’ve been so consumed with your LSAT prep - and finally taking the test- and classes and work._

She unpinned the calendar from the wall and ticked off the days, her anxiety growing as the number grew higher. _Shit, thirty-two! Thirty-two days since your last period, when you’ve always had a cycle of exactly twenty eight days! Oh, fuck, you cannot be pregnant, Nancy. It is not possible. You have had_ a lot _of sex over the last month or so, but Ned used a condom every damn time he even got near your nether regions with a hard-on._

__

Just then, her phone buzzed, signaling a text from Ned. She shook her head, tossing the phone onto her bed. “I can’t deal with him now,” she said aloud. “He’ll know I’m freaked out, and I won’t be able to explain why.”

Nancy ignored several more texts from Ned and pretended to study for a few hours. When she couldn’t stand it anymore, she left the apartment and headed to the nearest drugstore to pick up a few pregnancy tests. She was dismayed to find out that she had to wait two more days to take them, but at least she felt prepared.

\--

Two days later, Nancy was almost climbing the walls from her anxiety. Her period still hadn’t arrived, and she was completely terrified about what it could mean. She had dodged Ned’s calls and texts and had blown off two dates, claiming to be sick. Ned had sounded like he didn’t quite believe her, but hadn’t pressed her.

Nancy waited until she was sure her father was gone for the day before pulling the three pregnancy tests from the bottom drawer of her desk. She lined up the boxes on the top of the desk and stared at them for what seemed like an hour before getting up from her bed with a huge sigh. She took the boxes to the bathroom and followed the instructions, praying as she had before never prayed while waiting for the results.

Ten minutes later, she was so relieved to see all three tests come back negative that she actually started to cry. “Thank God,” she kept repeating aloud to herself, over and over. “That was entirely too close, Drew.”

She gathered up the boxes and tests and put them into a plastic bag from the drugstore, tying the handles tight before taking the bag outside and throwing it down the building’s trash chute. When she returned to the apartment, she sat on her bed again, her back against the headboard and her arms curled around her upturned knees. She sat that way for a while, ignoring a fresh set of texts and calls from Ned, as a plan took shape in her mind. A little while later, her sense of relief intensified when her period arrived.

Two hours later, she heard a knock at the front door to the apartment. She got up and slowly walked to the door, already knowing it was Ned before even checking the peephole. She briefly debated not answering, but that plan fell by the wayside when she heard his voice through the door.

“Open up, Drew, I know you’re there,” Ned called out. “I saw one of your beautiful blue eyes through the peephole.”

Nancy sighed and undid the locks, letting him in. He walked in and handed her a brown paper bag.

“What’s this?” she asked, nodding towards the bag.

“Soup. Chicken soup. It’s supposed to be great for people who are sick. Which you are, right?” he asked lightly.

“I…Yes,” she lied, hoping the expression on her face didn’t give her away. “Thanks.”

“So, have you been to the doctor?” Once she set down the bag on the kitchen counter, Ned wrapped his arms around her and gave her a lingering hug. Nancy tried to tell herself it would be better to pull away, but instead she clung to him, breathing in his familiar scent. He pressed his lips to the crown of her head, and it felt so good to be held by him that she didn’t ever want to let go.

Reluctantly, she stepped backwards and out of his arms. _Come on, Drew, you know what you have to do_ , she told herself. _Just get it over with. Like ripping off a Band-Aid – do it quickly so it won’t hurt as badly._

“Ned, there’s something I have to tell you,” she said in a low tone. She looked at the kitchen floor, pretending to study the black and white tiles.

“Okayyy,” he replied neutrally. “Is it that you haven’t really been sick?” Nancy nodded slowly, still not looking up. “So why have you dodged my calls andtexts and lied to me over the last few days, then? The last time I saw you, everything was great – we had a nice dinner, a good time with my friends, a _very_ good time in my bed…Then I don’t hear from you and when I finally do, you lie to me. I really don’t get it, Nan. Please explain it to me.”

The genuine confusion and hurt in his voice almost did her in, but she kept herself focused on the task at hand. “Ned, I don’t think we should see each other anymore,” she mumbled, barely able to get the words out.

“You’re kidding, right?” His tone was full of disbelief and more than a little anger. “After all of this time, you’re just ending things? Why? What the fuck happened, Nancy? Is there someone else? Are you seeing someone else?”

“No, no,” she hastily reassured him, looking up for the first time. He looked so furious and upset that she almost started to cry again. “That’s not it at all, Ned. It’s just that…this has been nice, but who are we kidding here? It won’t last, right? Now that class is over, we’ll see each other less and less, then some other girl will catch your eye, and then you’ll tell me you want to take a break…Let’s just end things now, before we get in deeper, okay?”

Ned shook his head. “Give me a straight answer, Nancy. The thing I’ve always liked about you is that you’re a straight shooter, so knock off the bullshit. Tell me what happened.”

“Ned…It’s not…Let’s just walk away, all right?”

“Nancy, I am not leaving this fucking apartment until you give me a straight answer. Cut the crap and tell me why you are breaking up with me,” he snapped, leaning against the counter and folding his arms.

“I..It’s…” She walked out of the kitchen, but Ned caught up to her and grabbed her arm.

“The truth, Nancy. Tell me the fucking truth.” He bit off each word. “Why are you doing this?”

“Why are _you_ doing this?” she countered, trying to get him to give up. “I’ve already told you that it’s over, so why are you pushing?”

“Because we had something amazing and special and you’re throwing all away for no fucking reason!” he shouted, frustrated. “Now, tell me the truth. Don’t you think you owe me that? Tell me, Nancy!”

Nancy couldn’t hold back any longer. “Because my period was way fucking late and I thought I was pregnant!” she exploded.

Her words stopped Ned in his tracks. “Oh, shit,” he whispered.

Nancy chuckled sardonically. “Yeah, exactly. Needless to say, it freaked me out.”

“So, what happened? I mean, are you?” he asked cautiously.

“You can breathe now, Ned – I got my period a little while ago,” she snapped. “You dodged that bullet.”

“Stop it, Nancy,” he warned her. “If it had been positive and you _had_ been pregnant, we would have figured something out.”

Nancy raised an eyebrow. “Oh, would _we_ have?” she asked archly.

“And what the fuck is that supposed to mean? I wouldn’t have just abandoned you or walked away, Nancy!”

“So, if I had been pregnant, what would we have done? You would have gone on at Northwestern while it was ‘goodbye college, goodbye law school’ for me? I would’ve stayed home with no job and no education and raised a baby on my own? Or, would we have given it up for adoption?” she challenged.

Ned shook his head. “We would have figured something out,” he repeated stubbornly. “My parents would’ve helped…But the point is, you’re not pregnant, Nancy! So I really, _really_ don’t get why you’re breaking up with me!”

“I’m not, but I could’ve been! And I can’t take any more risks like that, Ned. So we need to end this. Before either of us is any more invested.”

Ned let out a bitter chuckle. “I think it’s too late for that, Nancy. I have no idea why the fuck you’re doing this, but I think it’s a huge mistake. You’re going to regret it – I know I will.”

“Oh, conceited, are we?” she asked archly. _You know he’s right, but just do anything, say anything to make him leave so you don’t change your mind_ . “You really think you’re that great?”

Ned shook his head, his face pale with anger. “I know you were scared and I don’t blame you, but I don’t know why you’re acting like this, Nancy. Why you are so fucking chicken?”

“Oh, really? I’m chicken? Why, ‘cause I have the balls to tell the great Ned Nickerson that I’m dumping him? Bet that’s never happened before, has it?” _Keep going; he’s not going to put up with much more of this._

“The woman I care about ending our relationship over some stupid shit? No, it hasn’t,” Ned told her quietly. “If you were looking to be the first one to hurt me like this, then you achieved your goal, Nancy.”

Nancy bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from begging him to ignore what she’d said and stay. “Look, it was fun, but we both know that it would’ve just run its course. So go back to your fancy apartment and your hookups with fancy girls and let’s just forget this, okay? You were a good instructor, a great fuck, and a cool guy to hang out with, but let’s not make more out of it than it was.”

That was the killshot. Ned pressed his lips together so firmly they turned white. “Fine, then let me just get out of here so I don’t take up any more of your precious time, Drew. I’m done begging you. I’m done, period.”

He stalked out of the living room and slammed the door behind him.

Nancy stared after him in silence, unmoving, for a full five minutes before collapsing into heaving sobs on the living room sofa.


	18. Chapter 18

“Bess, I’m fine, I swear,” Nancy told her best friend, sipping on her rum and coke.

“No, you are not fine, Nancy,” Bess retorted. “You are moping. If I hadn’t dragged your ass out of the house tonight, you would’ve sat around in your sweats eating Ben & Jerry’s out of the carton like a bad chick flick with Kate Hudson or Katherine Heigl or whoever.”

Nancy was about to protest when she realized Bess was right. It had been three weeks since she had ended her relationship with Ned, and she had spent the entire time sad and miserable and angry at herself. She kept trying to tell herself that it was for the best, but even she couldn’t make herself believe it.

Every night, she laid awake replaying that day over and over in her mind and wishing she could take back what she had said to him. Nancy couldn’t even count the number of times she had picked up her cell phone to call him before putting it back down again. After how awful she had been to him and the stricken look on his face, she didn’t think he’d ever take her back. The worst part was that she wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t.

Bess kept trying to talk her into throwing herself at Ned’s feet and begging him to forgive her, but Nancy refused. She was too afraid to risk it – what if he told her that he wasn’t willing to give her a second chance? Then what would she do?

_All I wanted was time to work and study, and now I’ll have it. Be careful what you wish for_ , she told herself ruefully.

Sunday nights – their standing date night - were the worst for her, which is why Bess had insisted that they come out to the bar tonight to get good and trashed. “Hey, maybe you’ll even pick up some hot stranger and have a night of hot, meaningless sex to help you forget,” she had joked when she called Nancy to make plans. Her words had made Nancy feel even worse, though – when she thought about a hot guy to have sex with, her mind instantly began replaying images of her and Ned together.

“Ooh, what about that tall blonde guy over at the bar?” Bess now asked, scanning the room.

“Nah,” Nancy told her, not even looking up.

“Nancy Drew, you need to either try to get back with Ned or move on,” her friend told her firmly.

“It’s only been three weeks, Bess,” Nancy sighed. “You don’t just get over someone like that in three weeks.”

“I know we’re trying to forget about him, but honey – I still can’t believe you threw someone like him away.” Bess shook her head before tasting her Flirtini.

“I know, Bess,” Nancy said, in a low voice. She could feel the lump in her throat; only the fact that they were in public prevented her from letting her tears flow. “It was stupid, but it was probably the right thing to do in the long run,” she lied.

Bess was about to respond when she suddenly bolted upright, a startled look on her face. “Oh, shit, Nan – don’t look over at the tables by the stage, don’t look over at the tables by the stage,” she squealed.

Too late. Nancy glanced over and caught sight of Ned sitting at a table with some of his friends, a pretty blonde at his side. The girl reached over and lightly touched Ned’s arm; Nancy stomach clenched when he gave the girl a smile. Nancy tried to tear her eyes away, but she couldn’t seem to stop staring.

“Nan? Nancy?” Dimly, she heard Bess’s voice calling her.

“Yeah?” Nancy asked, still unable to look away from Ned. He looked so gorgeous in his black shirt, his dark hair slightly mussed.

She remembered all of the times she had run her hands through that hair as they had kissed or made love, and it made her so incredibly sad. Then she thought of the morning she had worn that shirt, and only that shirt, after they had spent the night in her bed when her father had been away. He had fed her his homemade French toast and didn’t care when she got powdered sugar all over the shirt, happily stripping it off of her so they could make love in the mid-morning sunlight of her room. ( _“That shirt looks better on you than it does on me, but you look even better without it, baby,”_ he had told her with a sexy gleam in his eye.)

Nancy unconsciously licked her lips, as if she could still taste the maple syrup from his kisses as he had pinned her to the bed, his hands roaming over her naked body. Her giggles and squeals had turned into moans as he had moved his hands to certain strategic parts of her body.

Suddenly, it was as if Ned could feel her stare – he looked up and directly at her. Nancy couldn’t breathe as their eyes locked, neither of them turning away for a full minute. She started to tremble and had her hand halfway up to give him a little wave when he tore his gaze from hers and looked down at the blonde sitting next to him, giving her another smile. Nancy’s breath caught in her throat and she took a sip of her drink to prevent herself from breaking down in tears.

“Nan, I ‘m so sorry,” Bess gasped. “I didn’t even think we’d run into him anywhere. Let’s just go, okay?”

“No, no, it’s okay,” Nancy said, plastering a smile onto her face. “Had to happen sometime, right? I’m fine, Bess,” she lied, but it didn’t even sound convincing to herself.

She could tell that Bess knew she was being less-than-truthful, but her friend but didn’t press her. “Nan, the idea of tonight was for you to forget about him. So let’s just finish our drinks and go somewhere else, okay? Besides, this place has a kind of lame selection of guys.”

_No, it doesn’t, Bess,_ Nancy thought to herself. _The best guy in the world came here tonight, didn’t he?_

__

\--

After two more bars and too many more drinks to count, Nancy was well and truly drunk. Bess unlocked her apartment door and helped Nancy inside.

“Bess, what the fuck did I do?” Nancy whimpered, collapsing onto one of the chairs in Bess’s tiny kitchenette area.

“Um, you drank your face off, honey?” Bess asked gently.

Nancy waved her hand dismissively. “No, no – not that. Although, yes – yes, I did. I was talking about Ned, though. Bess, what the fuck did I do? How could I break up with him? What the fuck was I _thinking_?” Her last sentence ended in a howl as the tears streamed down her face.

“Honey, I know,” Bess soothed, coming over to put her arms around Nancy. She patted her back reassuringly. “You were upset when you thought you were pregnant and you panicked. Why don’t you go talk to him and explain?”

Nancy shook her head violently, then thought better of it as she felt the room spinning around her. “I can’t, I can’t! He’s already found a new girlfriend, Bess! You saw them together! By now, he’s probably taken her back to his place, gotten her clothes off, and fucked her. She’s probably in bed with him right now, as we speak.” Nancy’s words were punctuated by little hiccupping sobs.

“And he’s so _good_ at it – the fucking, I mean…If we were still together, I would’ve probably come at least twice by this time of the night.”

“I’m trying to be sympathetic, honey – don’t make me hate you,” Bess sighed. “But you don’t know that he slept with her. Didn’t he tell you that he wasn’t into quick hookups anymore? I’m sure nothing happened.”

“You’re wrong. I know it. I saw the way she looked at him. She’s probably his new girlfriend, and he’ll probably marry her, and have a million babies with her, and I’ll die alone with my law degree, always remembering the one that got away.” Nancy cried harder at that thought. “Just like that Katy Perry song.”

“Things are already bad enough – don’t make them worse by quoting Katy Perry. You’re drunk and tired right now, so why don’t you get some sleep and we can spend tomorrow plotting how you can get him back. Doesn’t that sound good, sweetie?”

“It’s too late, Bess – it’s too late! Oh, God, I really fucked this up, didn’t I?” By this point, Nancy’s words were almost unintelligible through her tears; only someone who knew her as well as Bess did could’ve understood her.

“Nan, you’re scaring me,” her friend told her frankly as Nancy continued to sob loudly, her chest heaving with each intake of breath. “I have never seen you like this before…The last time was when your mom died…”

Nancy lifted her head at that. “That was the last time I was this sad,” she admitted, her voice wobbly. “I lost the best thing that ever happened to me, and I don’t think I can fix it.” She couldn’t seem to stop crying – it was like a dam had burst.

Bess made a dismissive sound. “Now, come on. That does not sound like the Nan Drew I know and love. You’re the most focused, most determined person I know. You wanted to get straight ‘A’s in high school so you could get scholarships, and you did. You wanted to work and earn money for school along with those scholarships, and you did. You wanted to get great grades in college so you could get into your dream law school, and you are. So now when things look like they’re difficult, you’re just gonna give up? Come _on_!”

Considering Bess’s words, Nancy reached around and grabbed a napkin from the table so she could wipe her face, grimacing when she saw traces of her smeared mascara on the paper. “There’s no way he’d take me back, Bess. I said such ugly, mean things to him – if I were him, I’d tell me to fuck off, no joke.”

“Yeah, but you have to at least try, right? Why don’t you go over there and attempt to talk to him? If he tells you to get lost, you just try again, but maybe he won’t! Nan, he was so crazy about you –

“Thanks for reminding me,” Nancy cut in morosely.

Bess continued as if Nancy hadn’t interrupted. “I can’t imagine that all of those feelings just went away in the space of three weeks. He’s probably pissed, sure, but he seems like a calm, rational guy. Just explain what happened and…”

“And?” Nancy prompted.

“Beg. I’ve told you before, but I’ll say it again. Get down on your damn hands and knees and beg, girl. Because I would normally never suggest lowering yourself to that, but this might be the only guy in the world who might just be worth it.

“I’m serious!” she protested when Nancy made a dismissive sound. “Honey, whatever tactic works…Oh, and speaking of that, you probably want to wear some _very_ slutty lingerie under the outfit you put on to go over there – if you can’t get him through talking, at least you can appeal to his libido. Plus, if you’re already on your knees, you can campaign another way.” She waggled her eyebrows lecherously.

Despite her crying jag, Nancy chuckled with amusement. “You are too much. So, what, I just go over there out of the blue, then start taking my clothes off and giving him a blow job when he tells me to get out?”

“It’s a start,” Bess mused. “You remember that new little trick I demonstrated for you on that Popsicle, right? Did you have the chance to try it out on him before…?”

“Yes, and he said that he actually saw stars…But that is not the point!” Nancy tried to get the conversation back on track as she held back a laugh.

Her friend beamed at her. “It is so the point! Once he gets a second helping of that, there’s no way in hell he’ll turn you down!”

This time, Nancy couldn’t stop her giggles. “Thank you, Bess – I feel much better. I have no idea what he’ll say or do, but I can’t just leave things the way they are.”

“That’s the spirit! Now, why don’t you wash your face and take some aspirin before you go to bed, because you are definitely going to feel like shit in the morning. Come on, let’s go.” Bess gave her a quick hug before leading her by the hand to the bathroom.


	19. Chapter 19

Four days later, Nancy rang the bell to Ned’s apartment, holding her breath as she waited for someone to answer. Her nerves led her to clutch the gold metallic tin in her hands in a death grip, and she prayed that she wouldn’t find him with that girl he had been with at the bar the other night.

After a minute, she rang the bell again. She heard someone undo the locks on the other side of the door; just as it was about to open, she heard Ned call out. “Hey, Howie, did you lose your keys again?”

He gave a start as the door opened all the way and he saw Nancy standing on the welcome mat. “Nancy? What are you doing here?”

She felt herself start to melt at the sight of him in his beloved Emerson t-shirt - the one she had worn in his bed that night after the party – and frayed blue jeans. “So, I got my LSAT results today,” she told him, not even bothering with a greeting. “And you were the first person I thought of to tell. Not my dad, not Hannah, not Bess…You, Nickerson. And I had my hand on my cell phone before I remembered that we weren’t speaking anymore.”

“So you just decided to show up here?” Ned’s voice was neutral.

Nancy nodded. “No matter what, I felt like I had to tell you. I didn’t want to call because I didn’t want to give you the chance to hang up on me, even though you would’ve had the right to do so.”

He gestured to the tin she was holding. “What’s that?”

“Cookies – I know how much you like dessert, so I thought that you’d be more likely to talk to me if I came bearing cookies. And before you ask, I made them, not Hannah. They came out of a pouch, the one with the red spoon on it, but still. This is the first time I’ve ever baked anything for anyone, ever, so you should be impressed.”

“Depends…What kind are they?” he asked, his tone serious.

“Oatmeal chocolate chip. The store was all out of the ‘Please forgive me for being so stupid’ kind.”

He stared at her, and Nancy thought that he was trying not to grin. “I like oatmeal chip. That’s the only reason I’m inviting you in, Drew.” He stepped aside and gestured for her to enter the apartment.

Nancy handed him the tin and he opened it, a wary expression on his face. Ned sniffed the cookies and apparently liked what he smelled, because he picked one out and took a bite. A look of pleasant surprise crossed his features as he continued to chew. “These are pretty damn good, especially since they’re your first attempt, but they need milk. Want some?”

She shook her head. “Actually, I’m kind of sick from tasting the raw dough,” she admitted.

Ned laughed out loud at that. “Yeah, I can’t ever decide which is better – the raw batter or the finished product.” He set the tin on his coffee table and pointed to the couch. “Since you came all this way and brought me cookies, the least I can do is offer you a seat. I’m gonna go get that milk – be right back” She perched on the edge of the sofa, watching him walk to the kitchen.

Ned returned a minute later carrying a large glass of milk and sat on the couch next to her, fishing another cookie out of the tin before leaning against the cushions. “Okay, so how did you do on your test, Nan?”

Her heart leapt when she heard him call her by her nickname, and she began to relax for the first time since she had come up with this plan. “I got a 175.”

A huge grin lit up his face. “Holy shit! Are you serious?” Nancy nodded, beaming. “Damn, that’s better than my score! That’s sensational news! Although, I shouldn’t be surprised – you were incredibly focused and studied like a fiend.”

Suddenly, his expression changed. “But why did you want to tell me? I mean, I was just your teacher, right? Oh, and a great fuck and a cool guy to hang out with.” His bitterness was evident in his tone.

Nancy flushed at hearing him throw her own words back at her. “Because I think about you all of the time, and I miss you so much.” The words tumbled out before she could stop them. “Because I hate myself for pushing you away, for telling you that I didn’t want to see you anymore when it was a lie. I lied to you and I lied to myself because I was scared, Ned.”

“And why were you scared?” His voice was calm, but she could see the hint of some unidentified emotion in his eyes.

“There were two reasons, really. Like I told you before, the first one was that you could derail the perfect plan I had for myself. Bust my ass and earn money for school, get a great score on my LSAT, graduate from UIC with honors, get into Northwestern…”

Nancy stood up and began to pace his living room. “The pregnancy scare did me in. It was like proof of everything I’d been telling myself would happen all along, you know?”

“Look, Nan, I know it was the last thing the both of us wanted, but we could’ve made it work if it had happened,” Ned told her. “Like I told you that night, we would’ve figured something out. And I wouldn’t have just abandoned you or broken things off. You meant too much to me for me to do that.”

“I know,” she sighed. “But, still…It seriously would have fucked up my plan, Ned. Like meeting you did, only worse. So I felt like I had to break up with you. But then when we were apart…Instead of making things easier for me, it actually became worse. Like I said, you’re in my thoughts constantly, and I miss you so much that it aches sometimes.

“Then I had this epiphany. I was so worried that having you in my life meant that I was going to lose my jobs, fail my classes, bomb on my LSAT…Yet, noneof that happened. I was able to juggle it all, I got great grades, and a kick-ass score on my LSAT. Yeah, I was exhausted at times, but it was worth it; **_you_** were worth it.”

Nancy stopped pacing and halted in front of him. “Then I saw you at the bar with that girl, and I thought I was going to die,” she said softly. “It hurt me so badly to see you with someone else, to think that you had moved on.”

“She was nothing to me, Nan. My friends saw that I was moping over you on what normally would’ve been our date night, and set me up with her. She was nice, sweet, pretty…but she wasn’t ** _you_**. I had an okay time, at first, but when I saw you…I left not that much longer after you did, came home alone, and got wasted. I saw you, and it killed me.”

She gave a hollow laugh. “So we were both miserable that night. And we both got blindingly drunk.”

He nodded. “Why didn’t you come talk to me?”

“Because I thought that you were on a date with her and that I had lost my chance with you!” she blurted out.

Ned considered her reply. “So, before you said that there were two reasons that you were scared about being with me. You gave me your first one; what was the second?”

Nancy looked up, startled. She hadn’t counted on him remembering. Taking a deep breath, she decided to tell him the truth. “I was afraid because I was falling…I was in…” She paused, digging her nails into her palms and biting her lip.

The corners of Ned’s lips quirked upwards. “Yes? Go ahead – finish your sentence. Say it, Nancy.” He reached for another cookie and chewed while watching her face, clearly amused.

“I was falling in love with you, all right? I was in love with you; I **_am_** in love with you! And when I realized it, it scared the shit of out me, Nickerson. Because I’ve never felt this way before about anyone before – I never even came **_close_**.

“And there you were, all perfect and funny and smart and gorgeous and great in bed…,” His smile grew even broader at those words. “…and I was terrified that you were going to get tired of me and break my heart into a million bits. So I pulled away first. I ended things because I thought that you’d do it eventually and I wanted to beat you to the punch, because the thought of it destroyed me.”

“Nancy, I…”

“You know what? I’m gonna go. Because I’ve already made enough of an idiot out of myself without making it worse. I said some truly shitty things to you that night, and I wouldn’t blame you if you never forgave me for them. I love you, and it killed me to hurt the person I love like that. Anyway, thanks for hearing me out, and I’m glad you enjoyed the cookies.”

She turned away and headed for the door blindly, praying that she’d be able to get out of the apartment before bursting into tears.

“Nancy! Wait up!” He walked up behind her and put his hand on her shoulder to spin her around so that she was facing him. “Did you think you were gonna just drop that bomb on me and leave without giving me time to respond?”

“This was just a bad idea, so…” She tried to squirm away but Ned’s grasp was firm.

“I need to know something,” he told her, his voice serious.

“What’s that?” she asked flatly, ending the ineffectual struggle for him to release her.

“If we try this again, will you freak out and bolt again when things get too intense? I need to know that we can work through stuff together. Because I can’t go through that again, Nancy - I told you the truth when I said that you were the first woman to ever hurt me that much. When we get back together, it’ll be for the long-term - I can see a real future for us and that would require a serious commitment at some point.”

Her heart began pounding at both the tenderness in his brown eyes and at the idea of them making a commitment to each other “So you would forgive me for being so awful and for lying and pushing you away?” she asked, trying to tamp down the hopefulness she felt rising in her.

“When you said all of that shit to me, I didn’t believe you because of the look in your eyes, but it was still terrible to hear. That you could just take something so amazing and dismiss it like that for whatever your reasons were… I mean, I get that you were scared, but…I was so in love with you, and to have you push me away like that…

Nancy swallowed hard. “I am so, so, so sorry,” she told him in a low voice. “Wait – you _were_ in love with me? Does that mean you aren’t anymore?”

He smiled. “Baby, I have been in love with you since the first day I saw you. No matter what you said to me or did to me, I haven’t stopped loving you.”

“Really?” she asked timidly, scarcely daring to believe it.

Ned nodded. “That’s why I need to know if you’re really ready for a long-term relationship. I mean, I don’t want to panic you, but I could easily see us getting engaged in a year or two. Like, that kind of long-term.” Nancy was stunned into silence.

“This is only the second time I’ve ever seen you at a loss for words, Drew. I’ve gotta say, it still freaks me out. But the fact that you haven’t run out the door seems to be an encouraging sign. Can you tell me what you’re thinking right now?”

“Um, I’m kind of in shock?” Nancy managed to get out. “I thought for sure you’d take my cookies and tell me to get the fuck out, so the fact that you’re telling me you want us to get married in a few years…kind of a surprise, you know?”

Ned grinned. “Well, it seems to be the day for surprises, Nan. I had no idea that you’d show up here tonight. So, what do you think? I’ve never even come close to asking a girl about getting engaged, so don’t give me your usual shit about the other women I’ve gone out with.”

“I…I….I mean, I have to finish school, and so do you, but…”

“Once I graduate from law school next year, I’ll need to pass the bar, of course. Then, I’ll be able to get a job – I already have a few leads. You’ll be done with undergrad at the same time and we could start making plans then…I have money saved and when I’m working, we’ll have more money coming in…You also wouldn’t have to work as hard.”

Nancy’s head snapped up at that. “Just to be clear, I wouldn’t marry you just so you could take care of me and pay for shit, Nickerson,” she said sharply.

“Annnddd, my Nancy is back,” he replied, clearly amused. “Drew, I wouldn’t just offer to marry you so I could pay for shit. Come on, now. So the school stuff and the money stuff aside, what do you think? I need to know that we’re both on the same page with this – if not, then it doesn’t make sense for us to get back together.”

“You’re right, Ned,” she acknowledged slowly. “So if I said that I had never before thought of marriage until I met you and that the idea of spending the rest of my life with you makes me unbelievably happy instead of scaring me, would that be okay?”

His grin got broader. “It would,” he nodded. “Does this mean that I can tell you that I love you? I have to confess that I wanted to say it to you a million times before, but didn’t want to scare you off.”

“I wish you would,” she whispered. “Because I love you so much, and you make me so happy.”

Ned reached out and pulled her into his arms. “Where do you want to go to celebrate?”

“Celebrate?” she asked, tilting her head back to give him a blank look.

“Yeah…I mean, I think we have a lot to celebrate, don’t you? The fact that you got such a kick-ass score on your LSAT, which of course means that I’m an awesome teacher…” Nancy smiled at that, despite herself. “The fact that you’re in love with me, and I’m in love with you…That’s a lot to be happy about, don’t you think?”

“It is. I thought we could start in your bedroom,” she told him, pointing towards the hallway, “and then eventually get dressed and go out to dinner somewhere, where it will be my treat. Then we’d come back here and go back into your bedroom, and I’d show you all over again how much I love you and how glad I am that we’re back together. What do you think?”

“Oh, that sounds like a good plan,” he told her huskily. He began to pick her up and carry her towards the bedroom, but she stopped him.

“No, wait. I came here to tell you this and I want to say it again. I love you, Ned Nickerson. I love you, I love you, I love you.” She punctuated each declaration with a kiss. “You are the kindest, sweetest, most loving, most generous man I have ever met, and I love you. You’re also the hottest, sexiest, most gorgeous man I’ve ever met, but what’s on the outside doesn’t even begin to compare what’s on the inside. I never thought anyone like you could love anyone like me and I can’t believe I almost threw this away.”

“Nancy, I…,” he started, giving her a tender look.

“No, hush. _Please_. I need to say this,” she said in a low voice. “Because I _didn’t_ say it that night you stayed over at my place and I should have. That night, when you made all of those special trips in the pouring rain just to bring me the things that I like…Then you were kissing me and touching me and were totally focused on giving me pleasure. It was so sweet and beautiful and amazing and then we made love, really made love…I mean, every time we were together it was like making love, but that night was so beautiful and perfect…It was just the most incredible thing.

“And then the next morning…” She could feel the tears welling in her eyes. “I wanted to tell you so badly how I really felt, but I was so afraid…Afraid at what it really meant, afraid that you didn’t love me back…”

“Nan…” He picked up her hand and brought it to his lips, brushing them against her knuckles. “I knew. That night, when you were so sweet and tender, I knew that you cared about me. I had never had that with another woman before, and I wanted to say the words to you to maybe get you to tell me, but I didn’t want to scare you. And I was terrified, too,” he admitted.

Nancy looked up in surprise. “You were?”

“Of course. Being that open and exposed, not a hundred percent sure whether you felt about me the way I felt about you... It was scary as hell. It’s not any easier for guys to be vulnerable, you know.”

“I’m sorry,” she said softly. “I’m so sorry that I ever made you doubt my feelings for you.”

“Baby, it’s done. All I care about now is that you came here tonight and that we’re back together. Really. I’m not interested in harping on the past or holding a grudge. You were scared, I was scared, but now we know how we really feel about each other, and that’s all that matters.”

Nancy shook her head in disbelief. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I do know that I’ll never take you for granted again. I just can’t believe I waited this long to tell you – all of that time I wasted…”

“Stop, Nan,” he told her, not unkindly. “Like I said, it’s done. Now, I think someone promised that we’d celebrate in bed.”

She giggled. ”Did she?”

He nodded vigorously. “Oh, yeah , I specifically remember that part.”

“Well, then, let’s go!” Ned needed no further encouraging – he grabbed her hand and began pulling her towards his bedroom. “Oh, and you should probably know…” She paused, stopping just in front of his door.

“Yes?” he asked, one eyebrow cocked quizzically.   
  


“I am wearing some _extremely_ slutty lingerie under this.” Nancy gestured down at her slightly tight, straight-legged dark jeans and deep green sweater tunic. “I mean…super, super trashy, Ned. Scandalously so.”

The look on his face, a mixture of curiosity, lust, and astonishment, amused her greatly. “Yeah?”

“Oh, yeah. And I may have brought a sex toy or two with me in my purse…”

“Forget the cookies, Nan – you should have started the conversation with those two pieces of information.” He rushed forward and bent down, scooping her over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry as he all but ran the remaining distance to his bedroom.


End file.
